


Look to the Past to Find Your Future

by Stuckonstuckony (adoctoraday)



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: 1940’s au, Alpha Bucky Barnes, Alpha Steve Rogers, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alpine - Freeform, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, And their shitty time travel, Blow Jobs, Bonding, Bucky Gets A Cat, Cum Play, Double Knotting, Double Penetration, Double Penetration in One Hole, FUCK endgame, Face-Fucking, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Hand Jobs, Knotting, M/M, Mating, Mating Bites, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Medical Jargon, Mentions of Breeding, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Not Captain America: The First Avenger Compliant, Omega Tony Stark, Porn With Very Little Plot, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Pregnancy, Scent Marking, Surrogacy, Time Travel Fix-It, but like loving face fucking, fuck the Russo’s, pre winter soldier Bucky Barnes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-04
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:27:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 46,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23016256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adoctoraday/pseuds/Stuckonstuckony
Summary: Tony takes a detour to the 40’s after defeating Thanos thinking it’ll just be a quick stop before returning to the future. And then he runs into Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes and everything changes.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 339
Kudos: 1810
Collections: Avengers Collection, Dreamwind's Favorite MCU/Marvel Fics, Great stories, The Best Marvel Fic Stories, WinterIronShield*





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RiotFalling](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RiotFalling/gifts).



> Uhhhh so this is a bday gift to my girl Riot! It’s only a day late, but with this clocking in at over 15k words, can you really blame me?? Lol this isn’t canon compliant—everyone lives and time travel works the way I say it does. I hope you enjoy this smut fest!! See you in the comments!!

Tony never intended to go back this far—but he’s curious; curious to see his father before time and war and drink corrupted him and turned him into the unkind and distant man he’d called _Howard_.

He’s supposed to be making sure the timelines are intact after they defeated Thanos; Steve is in the 70’s replacing the stones they took from his dad, and this is...just a little side trip.

No big deal.

He’d landed in 1943 a few days ago and managed to steal some clothes before finding a decent hotel to stay in, thankful that he’d brought some of the cybercurrency he’d created—and sure he’d based the idea off of the psychic paper from Doctor Who, but really, watching the money transform into the currency of any time or place was just so _cool_.

When he’d seen the newspaper headline about the Expo he’d found it impossible to resist, and that’s how he found himself here, sweating in the heat of the last days of summer, amid a crowd of thousands of New Yorkers, watching his own father up on stage.

It’s like looking into a mirror in some ways—same dark curling hair, playful eyes and a talent for working a crowd.

“Steve, c’mon!”

He’s jostled on his right and turns to cut a sharp word at the stranger who’s stepped on his toe when he’s suddenly struck dumb because that’s _James Barnes_ looking back at him with an apologetic frown.

“Hey, you all right mister?”

Tony nods numbly as the younger man smiles and reaches out to pat his arm, “Sorry, got a coupla dames ta show a good time, ya know?” he says with a sly wink, his reputation as an Alpha’s Alpha well earned.

He jerks his chin to indicate the two pretty women standing behind them, and Tony smirks by rote and nods; “Good luck,” he murmurs, watching as they turn away and face the stage.

Another body jostles him and he looks, and then looks further down because the man who’d knocked into him is short, barely five feet tall, with sandy blonde hair and a frame so thin it looks like a strong breeze could send him toppling over.

The man looks up and his heart lurches for the second time tonight because that’s Steve—his Steve but _not_ , staring back at him with wide regretful doe eyes and a faint smile.

“Sorry sir, just trying to get to my friends,” Steve murmurs, pointing to where Bucky and the two women are standing a few feet ahead. Tony nods and steps aside, ignoring the complaints from his right as he bumps into someone.

“No problem,” he replies, smiling warmly—too friendly if the confusion on Steve’s face is anything to go by. The younger man just nods and slides by, sidles up behind the two women and leans up onto his toes to watch the show.

Tony watches him the whole evening, how he tries to talk to the one woman and is resolutely ignored, how he’s too short to see over the crowd, how his shoulders droop with each minute that passes as he’s ignored.

When he tries to share his popcorn and is once again rebuffed, Tony can’t help but step forward and nudge Steve’s arm, smiling when the younger man looks up at him. “Hey sunshine, mind if I have some?”

Steve stares at him, brow furrowing and Tony lifts his hands in a show of peaceful intent, “Sorry pal, just seems like we both got left behind by our dates,” he lies, nodding to where Bucky and the two girls have slipped away.

Steve stares for a moment at the empty spaces and then crumples inward, shoulders dropping with an air of defeat. It’s the saddest thing Tony’s ever seen and he can’t help the hand that lands on Steve’s shoulder, squeezing gently as the younger man sighs and shakes his head.

“Guess I’ll see him later,” Steve murmurs and looks back up at Tony with sad eyes and a sadder smile. He offers the popcorn to Tony with a vague wave of his other hand, “Here mister, why don’t you enjoy it, I’m gonna go,” he says, sounding defeated.

Tony hesitates and then shakes his head—seeing Steve so small and defeated is just _wrong_. “Ah, you know, I’m hungrier than I thought and popcorn just isn’t gonna cut it,” he explains, “you want to grab a bite with me?”

Steve stares at him, brow furrowed in confusion, lips parted as though he’s about to speak and Tony realizes how weird it is for a stranger to ask another stranger for dinner so he hastily shoves his hand forward, cursing internally when Steve startles back and the popcorn goes flying.

“Shit, sorry,” Tony mumbles, reaching out to steady the younger man and earns himself a glare in the process, “Sorry, I’m just, uh, new in town and you look local. Thought maybe you’d know a good place to eat,” he explains(lies) hastily.

He extends his hand again, “Antonio Carbonell,” he says with a brilliant smile. His mother’s maiden name is a good alias—one he’s used in the past when trying to fly beneath the radar.

Steve hesitates just a moment and then takes his hand, shakes it firmly and Tony’s surprised by the strength in the grip and the calluses on his palms—the Steve he knew had soft hands because of the serum, painters hands he’d always thought.

“Steve Rogers.”

Tony grins brighter, “Nice to meet you Steve,” he says with a barely restrained laugh of disbelief. “So, know anywhere good to eat?”

* * *

  
Steve takes him to a little Italian place where he’s greeted like a long lost son by the owners and shown to a corner booth. Steve flushes when Tony lifts a brow and waves a hand “So, what’s with the prodigal son welcome?” he teases.

Steve’s cheeks are a pretty pink, warming the pale skin so he looks less ashy and waxen and more like a living man. “I uh, I painted their sign and drew the menu art,” he explains, blush deepening when Tony’s brows rise in surprise.

He looks over the menu and is amazed at the details on them; the top of the menu bears a little drawing of the family gathered around the table, laughter on their faces and plates filled with food. Beneath the picture reads _When you’re at our table you’re family_ in curling handwriting he recognizes easily.

“Wow, that’s gorgeous,” he murmurs, fingertips brushing the drawing before he lifts his gaze and finds Steve watching him intently. The younger man looks at him for a moment and then away, hair a little too long in the front and falling into his eyes.

Tony is seized with the urge to brush it back, to see if it’s as silky as it looks, but that would be entirely inappropriate for an unwed omega to do in public, even if he is old enough to be Steve’s father—and Jesus, isn’t _that_ depressing.

“So uh, what brings you to town?” Steve asks, gaze flickering to Tony’s unbonded neck for just a moment before slipping away.

Now that it’s just the two of them, Tony can smell Steve’s alpha nature on him easily—charcoal and paper and something coppery too, warm and heady in his nose and Tony inhales a little deeper on his next draw of breath.

He savors the taste of the scent, lids fluttering for a moment before he clears his throat and smiles at Steve. “Business! I’m an engineer, looking to work with Stark.”

Steve’s eyes widen and a smile starts to grow on his full, pink lips. “ _Really_? Golly, I bet that would be swell!” he exclaims, “what would you be doin’?”

From there they devolve into a long winded discussion of solar energy, computing machines and other engineering wonders that lasts for hours and ends with Tony’s hands covered in pencil dust and sketches on paper strewn between them.

His sleeves are rolled up to his elbows and he notes the way Steve stares at his arms for a moment before glancing away, a flush on his cheeks that makes Tony’s heart turn over in delight.

It’s warm in the restaurant, so he undoes another button on his shirt and sighs in relief at the cool touch of air on his skin while noting the way Steve shifts in his chair in response and stares at the exposed length of coppery skin.

“You uh, you feelin’ alright pal?” Steve asks, looking up at Tony with wide blue concerned eyes from beneath long, dark lashes that make Tony wonder what they’d look like staring up at him from his bed.

Tony nods and wipes at his brow with the back of his hand, “Nothin to worry about Steve, the heat is just getting to this old man,” he jokes, painting on a smile.

Steve frowns and looks around for a moment before leaning closer over the top of the table, “You sure you ain’t got a cold?” he asks softly, gaze flickering over Tony’s face.

“Pretty sure!” Tony replies, “I feel fine, just warm.”

Steve nods thoughtfully, a thoughtful look on his face. “Alrighty then,” he agrees, nodding slowly, “Why don’t I walk you to your hotel?” he suggests, “since you’re new in town. Hate to see you get lost,” he says with a warm smile.

If it were anyone else Tony would think he was being hit on, but he knows Steve Rogers, even if he doesn’t know _this_ Steve Rogers and the man is as straight as they come.

Tony agrees, because why not, pays for their dinner over Steve’s protests and sighs in delight when they step out into the cool night air, the heat on his skin finally getting some relief.

The back of his shirt is damp and sticky, clinging wetly to his skin as they walk, Steve talking animatedly about how he wants to enlist, how it’s the right thing to do, and a rush of affection swells in Tony because even at a buck ten and asthmatic, Steve Rogers is still every inch the Captain Tony knows and loves.

It’s late, well past midnight, so when they walk past a bar with a group of men hanging out in front of it, Tony barely registers Steve hurrying in a little faster.

From everything he knows about the other man, one wrong placed word would have him attacking like a Terrier, tiny and angry and relentless. The thought makes him grin a little and shake his head, something warm blossoming in his belly.

“Whoooeee! You smell that boys? Smells like this little bitch needs a breedin’!”

Tiny watches as Steve’s shoulders go stiff—they’d _almost_ made it past the men without issue.

Before he can tell Steve to just let it go, the younger man is spinning in place and marching up to the men, brow furrowed and angry.

“Oh Christ,” Tony sighs, already stepping forward to back up the tiny man.

“Apologize,” Steve demands, chin drawn up haughtily, eyes dark and angry as he glares at the trio.

The tallest of the men would tower over even Cap, and when he laughs it’s a loud booming sound that makes Tony edgy and nervous. _God_ , if only he had the _suit_.

“Whatsit to ya short stack?” the man taunts, “this old omega bitch _yours_?”

Steve’s shoulders draw up and rage rolls off him in waves, so powerful it makes even the other men take pause. It smells like gunpowder and iron and ozone and Tony inhales deeply, something inside of him clicking into place at the scent.

Maybe it’s because he’d built scent dampeners into Steve’s uniforms and had therefore never smelled it before, but something about this scent makes him want to roll onto his back and expose his neck in submission.

It’s such a foreign feeling that it shocks him to his core long enough that he misses what’s said next, but not the sound of flesh hitting flesh. He refocuses and curses; the big bruiser is whaling on Steve and laughing.

Tony doesn’t even stop to consider going to call the police—he just dives into action.

Most of Tony’s combat is in the suit—but years of kidnappings and assassination attempts and being part of a team of super soldiers and spies has given him more than enough ability to survive outside the suit.

When it’s all said and done, Tony’s knuckles are bruised and bloody and he’s panting for breath, but proud. He’d managed to pull Steve away and propel him down the street in a hurry, leaving the three men on the ground behind them, groaning and clutching various parts of their bodies.

He’s shaking a little, adrenaline coursing through his veins—he hasn’t been in a fist fight like that in _years_. It makes him feel young again, like he’s _not_ 52 and broken down and an _old omega bitch_ like the man had shouted.

Heavy rasping breaths bring him up short and he realizes it’s Steve, face pale, lower lip still bloody and one eye bruising already. Tony guides them into an alleyway and pushes Steve gently over to sit on top of a trash can.

“Steve slow your breathing,” he murmurs, tilting Steve’s chin up so he can wipe at the blood on his chin and nose.

The younger man nods and takes a long shaky inhale, breathing raspy and wet sounding as he struggles to regain his breath.

His eyes fall shut as he breathes and Tony watches the slow flickering of them behind his pearlescent lids, thin and finely veined and so lovely it makes his heart ache.

He’s known he loves Steve Rogers for years now; even when he had Pepper he loved Steve, but it means little when Steve isn’t capable of returning his affections, much as he’d treasure that.

He barely realizes he’s brushing Steve’s hair back with shaky fingers, and it’s not till he’s rubbing his thumb over Steve’s neck that he realizes he’s scenting the younger man to try and calm him.

It’s quite frankly an _enormous_ breach of social etiquette, and yet strangely, Steve hasn’t stopped him. If anything, he seems to be leaning into it, breathing growing steadier with each passing moment.

Just as he’s about to pull his hand away, Steve catches it and pulls Tony closer so he’s standing between Steve’s tiny spread thighs. His nose brushes Tony’s wrist, inhaling deeply of Tony’s scent and then his eyes are sliding open to stare at Tony.

They’re dark and hungry and Tony shivers because Steve shouldn’t be looking at him like _that_ , like he wants to eat Tony alive. Steve doesn’t think like that—he’s wholesome and apple pie and America and _oh **Christ** that’s Steve’s lips on his skin!_

Tony gasps softly as Steve’s lips caress his wrist again, blue eyes dazed and hungry when they look up at him.

“S-Steve, whatcha doing?” he stutters out, trying on a friendly smile that’s trembling as Steve scents him back.

“You smell so sweet Tony,” Steve replies, lips brushing against Tony’s skin maddeningly. Heat curls through his veins and he’s suddenly deeply aware that he’s getting slick.

_Christ_ , he hasn’t had a reaction to an alpha like this in _years_.

He laughs nervously, “Yea, uh, adrenaline will do that,” he says, trying to brush this off. He knows some straight male alphas will fuck any omega regardless of gender if they’re in rut, but Steve’s never struck him as the type.

Nor does he smell like rut right now.

Which begs the question: _why the fuck is Steve Rogers scenting him like he’s about to fucking bond with him??_

Steve makes an unhappy sound and frowns at him, “S’not adrenaline, it’s _heat_ ,” he insists and tugs Tony closer with a powerful grip that Tony wasn’t expecting from a man his size.

The ownership in the movement makes him want to purr and that alone shocks him into realizing that Steve is right—he’s in heat. The slick, being overheated, scenting Steve—all the signs were there, he just ignored them.

“ _Shit_ ,” he groans, “I don’t have,” he pauses, swallowing hard when Steve places an open mouthed kiss to his wrist, just barely biting back a groan. “I don’t have heat supplies,” he tells Steve, hating how his voice has gone all breathy and needy.

_Shit_ , they should _not_ be doing this is an alleyway, but _oh god_ Steve’s teeth nip at the skin of his wrist and a pulse of slick leaks out of him and he sways hard, hand catching on the brick above Steve’s head.

“S’okay, I’ll take care of you,” Steve whispers and then _Jesus fucking Christ almighty_ he licks the scent gland on Tony’s wrist and he nearly collapses at the wave of delirious pleasure that crashes into him.

“N-not here,” Tony pants, shifting as he feels his briefs starting grow wet— _fuck_ he hasn’t gotten wet like this since he was a _teenager_.

Steve hums but doesn’t move, just licks Tony’s wrist again and explosions go off behind his screwed shut lids, mouth open and panting wetly. He thinks maybe he could come like this, even if he’s not close to fully hard yet.

“ _Steve_ ,” he groans, “ _Alpha_ , not here, _please_.”

_That_ snaps Steve out of it.

He looks sharply up at Tony and then around the alleyway like he’s just realizing where they are—and he probably is because he’d been out of it trying to catch his breath when Tony had hauled him in here and then they’d started...whatever this is.

Steve’s shoulders straighten and he nods, placing one last brief kiss to Tony’s wrist before he slides off the trash can and releases Tony’s wrist. He’s instantly aching to have the touch back, but he swallows down the urge to reach out and take Steve’s hand.

It’s still 1943–he doesn’t really want to spend the night in jail for this.

Steve steps out to the mouth of the alleyway and looks around before nodding and waving Tony over, “My place is close,” he murmurs as Tony sidles up beside him. Steve looks up at him through his lashes hesitantly, “Unless you want me to walk you to your hotel. You said you were stayin someplace fancy—I’m sure they have or can get you what you need.”

The omega in Tony is wounded at the perceived rejection, but he’s old enough and experienced enough to know that this is just Steve being Steve—offering him the chance to say no, to walk away.

It means so much more than Steve could know—he’s had his _no_ ignored too many times to count.

He could walk away, he knows, and Steve wouldn’t stop him because he’s a good man, a good alpha.

But that’s not what he wants.

Even if it’s going to hurt seeing Steve in the future, knowing that he _does_ like men and just not _Tony_ , he doesn’t want to say no right now.

It’ll just be a day—his heats have gotten shorter as he ages, so by tomorrow night or early the next day he’ll be able to walk away with no (or few) regrets.

He smiles softly and shakes his head, “Lets go Steve,” he murmurs, “take me home alpha.”

Steve’s eyes darken and a low sound comes from his throat and there’s a moment where Tony thinks Steve might truly just push him against a wall and ravish him, but then Steve is stepping back, swallowing hard and nodding.

“Yeah,” he agrees hoarsely, “let’s go home.”

* * *

  
Tony’s forgotten Steve and Bucky lived in a shitty tenement till Steve’s leading him up the stairs with a soft apology.

“I know it ain’t much,” Steve says as he shoulders the door open, “specially for a pretty omega like you,” he murmurs, gaze hot on Tony’s figure as he shuts the door behind them, thin shoulders resting against the doorframe, “but it’s home for me.”

The heat in Tony’s gut has been building the whole time they walked and he’s fairly certain his briefs are now soaked with slick and he thanks god his trousers are black because otherwise everyone would know just how wet he is.

Now that he’s here in Steve’s home, he’s surrounded by the smell of two alphas, their scents mingling together strongly in a way that suggests something almost like a bond, but different than that of an omega/alpha bond.

It’s strong and heady enough that he’s dizzy from it, aching to be taken and knotted in a way he hasn’t felt in decades.

He lurches forward, hands slapping on the wood as he looms over Steve, breathing in the scent of aroused alpha. Steve makes a low sound and reaches up to cup his cheek, a faint smirk on his lips as he caresses Tony’s pinked cheek.

“You feelin it now, huh baby?” Steve murmurs and Tony groans, nodding heavily.

Steve rises up on his toes till his lips are very nearly brushing Tony’s, “You want this Tony? You want _me_?” he asks, and Tony can hear the shyness in the question, the surprise and hope all tangled up together.

He answers Steve with a kiss, arching forward till they’re pressed together, swallowing the gasp Steve lets out before chasing it further, a needy groan in his throat.

Steve’s arms wind around his shoulders, mouth hungry and hit against his as he pushes his body more fully against Tony’s. His slim artist’s fingers sink into Tony’s hair, tugging and pulling, guiding Tony’s mouth with firm determination.

Tony groans at the manhandling, a shiver of heat coursing down his spine. Slick is sliding down his thigh but he can’t bring himself to care—Steve has him, _alpha_ is going to take care of him.

Tony’s hands slide down the rough wood of the door and latch onto Steve’s slim waist, pushing and pulling their bodies further together. He can feel how hard Steve is, but more than that, he can feel how _big_ Steve is and it leaves him shaken and moaning into the kiss.

Steve gasps when Tony lifts him up and presses him harder against the door so it rattles in its frame. Tony kisses with desperation, hips grinding forward into Steve’s, the air filling with the scent of his slick.

Steve yanks on his hair and tilts his head back so he can lick and suck at Tony’s jaw, the sensation dizzying. He frots harder into Steve, moaning loudly when Steve sucks harder on his throat, a low growl in his ear.

“Fuck, Tony, you taste so _sweet_ ,” Steve rumbles in that same deep voice Tony knows so well, lips against Tony’s skin, words wet and warm.

He shivers and rolls his hips into Steve’s, gasping as their cocks grind into each other. He’s mostly hard but he knows there’s no guarantee that it’ll last at his age.

“ _Please_ ,” he moans, lips wet and bitten red, “please alpha.”

He can _feel_ Steve’s smirk against his throat dammit.

“Please _what_ , omega?”

Tony groans and gasps as the words are chased with a nip at his throat.

“Please, _need you_ ,” he moans, breathing hitching as yet more slick leaks out of him.

Steve pulls back and meets his gaze, “Bedroom’s at the back,” he murmurs, gasping softly when Tony stands straight and carries him with ease back to the bedroom.

Steve taps Tony’s shoulder, “Down,” he orders and Tony lets him go, knees shaking a little at the soft power of command in Steve’s voice. He’s _never_ heard Steve use his alpha command, even on the battlefield.

Now he knows why.

If Steve gave him a command, there’s no way he’d ever say _no_. 

Steve studies him for a moment, and Tony can see that master tactician mind working, planning. A moment later he’s stepping close and opening buttons on Tony’s shirt, movements precise and orderly.

Toby didn’t have an undershirt, and as his skin is exposed, Steve kisses every inch of it, lingering over the scars from where the old housing unit had sat between his ribs. He doesn’t ask and Tony doesn’t offer explanation—it would be too unbelievable anyway.

Steve’s fingers are slim and cool against his skin as he pushes the shirt off Tony’s arms and tosses it aside. His lips and tongue and teeth paint a trail over Tony’s skin as nimble fingers work his pants open and push the fabric of his briefs aside.

Tony gasps sharply at the feel of those icy fingers on his cock, slim and firm and _right_. He nearly buckles, but catches himself with one hand on the wall, shaking as Steve sucks on a nipple and strokes him slowly.

Tony moans and Steve smirks against his skin, “Feel good baby?” he teases gently, “m’I making you shake?”

Tony nods and curses Steve’s penchance for smart assery, because a breath later Steve’s wrist twists at the head of his cock and his teeth nip at Tony’s nipple and a pulse of slick slides out of him.

“Words baby, use your words,” Steve croons, repeating that same wrist action each time Tony tries to open his mouth and do something other than moan mindlessly.

“Whassa matter baby? Cat got your tongue?”

Tony groans and shakes his head, gasping out a shaky laugh, “ _goddamn_ Rogers, you’re as evil as they come,” he pants.

Steve smirks and bites down on Tony’s nipple, sucking it till it bruises, hand jerking harder on his cock. Tony shouts and shudders, yet more slick leaking out.

“Smells like you like it baby,” Steve murmurs, licking softly at the abused nipple, “smells like you want more.”

Tony nods frantically because he _does_ , he does want more.

“ _Please_ ,” he begs, breath sobbing in his chest, “please alpha.”

“Shh, alpha has you,” Steve croons, “I’m gonna take care of you.”

Oh _fuck_ does that sound good.

Maybe it’s just that it’s been so long, or maybe it’s that it’s Steve, but tears gather in Tony’s eyes at the soft promise, something in his chest fluttering.

His lashes are wet and he struggles to breathe normally for a minute, gasping as Steve strokes him slower.

“Tony? You okay darlin?”

He can hear the concern in Steve’s voice, smell the worry on him so he opens his eyes and nods, smiling crookedly, cursing himself when a tear hits his cheek.

Before he knows what’s happening he’s on his back with Steve straddling him on the bed, warm lips pressing to his.

“Shh, you’re okay baby, you’re safe,” Steve croons, lips brushing against his cheek and brow and temples, _comfortsafetyprotection_ surrounding him as Steve scents him.

“S-sorry,” he stammers out, hands clinging to the back of Steve’s shirt.

“You got nothin to apologize for baby,” Steve murmurs, kissing the corner of Tony’s eyes, one after the other, soft and sweet and gentle as he exudes calming scent.

Tiny doesn’t try to hide the way he clings, just focuses on breathing steadier, letting the scent of his alpha calm him.

_His_ alpha?

Christ maybe this _was_ a bad idea.

When he opens his eyes he finds Steve smiling sadly at him, fingers pushing back Tony’s hair from his brow. “How you doin baby?” he asks, like he can’t smell that Tony is calm again.

Tony humors him though and smiles weakly, “Sorry, I know the last thing you probably wanted to deal with is a weepy old omega who can’t even keep it up,” he sighs bitterly.

Steve’s brow furrows and he cups Tony’s cheek gently, “Hey now doll, don’t go assuming what I do or don’t want,” he murmurs. “Sides, it’s not like I’m exactly poundin nails here either,” he says with a wry little smile and a gentle roll of his hips that shows Tony that Steve is indeed soft.

At his look of surprise, Steve laughs softly, but his eyes are sad. “My heart ain’t so great,” he admits, “Not many omegas are gonna want an alpha that can’t knot them two out of three tries,” he admits.

The sorrow in his voice is something Tony understands—the self loathing of a body not working like it’s supposed to.

He leans up and kisses Steve gently, taking him by surprise if his gentle flinch is anything to go by.

“How about, we slow down a little?” Tony suggests softly, nipping at Steve’s lower lip. “My heat hasn’t hit critical mass yet, we can take our time.”

Steve nods hesitantly, browns furrowed gently, “That a’right with you?” he asks, like Tony didn’t just give him permission.

Toby smiles and kisses him again, nodding gently. “Yea,” he agrees, hands sliding down from Steve’s back to grab his tiny ass and squeeze it, laughing softly when Steve gasps in surprise.

The slow smirk that spreads on Steve’s face spells trouble with a capital T, Tony is sure.

Steve slithers away, shimmying down Tony’s body till his lips are on the nipple he’d neglected, kissing around the sensitive skin, licking delicately.

His throat rumbles with a purr, “Mmm you taste so good doll,” he murmurs, licking flat over Tony’s nipple, eliciting a shiver of heat down his spine.

Slim fingers find the other and when Steve punches it Tony gasps, seeing stars as the bruised and hot skin receives more sweet punishment.

Steve chuckles against his skin and does it again and again as he fixes his mouth down on the other.

Tony stares up at the ceiling, panting and shifting under Steve, heat growing under his skin once more. When he looks down and sees Steve’s blond head hovering over his sternum he lets out a shuddery breath of emotion.

He’s craved this for so long it’s hard to think it’s actually real.

His hand shakes a little as he reaches out and brushes his fingers against Steve’s hair, reassuring himself that yes, this is real.

Steve’s eyes are dark blue and hungry when he looks up questioningly, lips quirking with a faint smile. “Ya okay doll?” he asks softly, and Tony can’t help his smile at that pure Brooklyn accent.

Nodding, he threads his fingers through Steve’s hair and tugs gently, “C’mere and kiss me,” he whispers, smiling happily when Steve follows his request and moves up eagerly to kiss Tony.

Tony works Steve’s shirt out of his trousers as Steve kisses him and slides both hands up his back, tracing the lines of his bones and sinewy muscle, humming in pleasure.

“I know ‘m tiny,” Steve starts to say and Tony cuts him off with a firm kiss and a flick of his tongue that makes Steve gasp.

“You’re perfect,” he whispers, voice too thick with emotion and scent leaking _adorationtrusthappiness_ so heavily he knows Steve _must_ be able to smell it.

Steve quirks a brow but doesn’t retort, just kisses Tony again. “Whatever you say doll,” he murmurs.

Tony hums in pleasure and drags his hands down Steve’s back in favor of reaching for his lush little ass and squeezing it again.

Steve chuckles and nips at Tony’s bottom lip, “Found something ya like doll?”

Tony nods and palms his ass, “Fits so nice in my hands,” he murmurs as Steve kisses his throat, lips brushing over his scent gland. A shudder runs over his spine and he gasps _again_ , slick leaking slowly from his hole.

Steve obeys and licks Tony’s gland, humming happily as Tony’s aroused scent grows.

“I got something else that’ll fit real nice _inside_ you,” Steve murmurs and Tony chokes, gasping when he recalls the heat of Steve’s cock against his hip.

He _wants_ that so badly it makes him leak again.

Steve must smell it (the whole building must be able to smell it by now) because he makes a pleased sound and licks Tony’s gland, teeth scraping over it gently, encouraging more blood to the surface slowly.

“You like that doll? Want alpha to fill you up real nice?”

Tony honest to god _whines_ and nods frantically, “Yea, yea alpha, want it,” he babbles, gasping as Steve growls and proceeds to lick and nip and suck on his scent gland till it’s hot and throbbing.

When Steve shifts Tony realizes that his alpha is mostly hard again, and so is he. Steve stays where he is though, focusing on Tony’s gland till he’s sure it _must_ be bruised and purpled by Steve’s mouth and he’s leaking slick and hard, panting and begging for more.

“Please alpha, Steve, _please_ ,” he gasps, moaning when Steve slips away and kisses down his torso, lingering over his nipples for a moment before continuing down, down, down.

Teeth nip at his hips and slim hands tug on his pants and briefs till Tony’s heat dazed brain gets with the program and he lifts his hips to make it easier to remove.

Steve kisses the inside of his knee and croons _good omega_ and Tony shudders as another pulse of slick slides out of him.

Steve groans at the scent and sits back, hurrying to undo his pants and shove them down and aside too and _holy shit he’s **huge**._

Tony openly ogles the cock hanging heavily between Steve’s legs and laughs a little hysterically.

“No wonder your heart has problems,” he says, “ _Christ_ , a _horse_ would have trouble,” he whispers, eyes wide.

Steve flushes darkly and ducks his chin, peering up at Tony through his dark lashes. “You like it then doll, hmm?” he asks lowly, voice rough and hungry as he crouches lower and kisses slowly up the inside of Tony’s thigh.

Tony nods frantically, “Hell yes, _yes_ Steve,” he groans, shuddering when the smaller man grins and latches onto the meat of his thigh and worries a mark onto it. Tony groans and shifts, flushing when his hole leaks more slick, the back of his thighs wet and sticky.

“You smell so good baby,” Steve groans, lips dragging up Tony’s thigh, “can’t wait to taste you.”

Tony moans and nods enthusiastically, shifting and pushing his hips down, hoping the fresh wave of scent coming off him will entice Steve to move quicker.

It works.

Steve surges up between Tony’s legs and shoulders them aside, eliciting a sharp gasp from Tony as Steve’s lips close around the base of his half hard cock and begin sucking.

“Steve!” he cries, arching into the hot wet suction, slick leaking like a faucet. He cries out when two fingers slide into him so easy and smooth, shuddering when Steve licks up his cock and sucks at the head.

“ _Fuck_ , Tony, ya taste like _heaven_ ,” Steve groans before slipping down on Tony’s cock, sucking and licking till his chin is spit slick and shiny and he’s got three fingers inside Tony.

Tony’s heat blooms fully sometime between the second and third finger, his skin too tight, too hot, too sensitive.

He whines and begs for more as Steve focuses on his cock, working him till he’s hard and leaking. When he pulls back Tony cries out at the loss, hips jolting up, cock twitching at the cool air on his heated skin.

Steve’s dark blue eyes sparkle with dark amusement. “Sound so pretty for me Tony, such a good omega,” he croons, biting at Tony’s hip.

“Please, please alpha,” he begs, sobbing, hands clawing in the sheets soaked with his slick.

“I gotchu baby, hold on,” Steve murmurs, pushing Tony’s thighs up and out to make room for himself between them.

Tony groans when he sees how hard Steve is, red and swollen and leaking and so goddamn perfect it hurts. His gut cramps and he cries out, _Alpha!_ sobbing as his body demands he be taken.

Steve hushes him and hurries to press into him, the fat head of his cock breaching Tony slowly. Stars bloom behind Tony’s eyes at the burning stretch, a sob clawing its way out of his throat as it _just keeps going._

Steve’s hands push on his thighs, forcing them wide so he can sit back a bit and watch his cock sink into Tony and _oh god_ , he feels so open and _exposed_.

“Look atcha baby,” Steve gasps, wonder in his voice, “look how good you take me, my good omega, so good.”

Tony keens at the praise, the long buried instincts inside him preening at his alpha’s words. He’s flushed red and throws an arm over his face, trying to hide how gone he is, how badly he needs it.

The long drag of Steve’s cock sliding out has him groaning and rolling his hips down, trying to draw him back in. Steve laughs and squeezes his thigh, “Need it bad, huh doll? You need alpha’s cock?”

Moaning as Steve rolls his hips forward, Tony nods frantically, hands twisting in the sheets as Steve starts to pick up his pace, keeping his thrusts hard and long.

It feels like he’s coming apart at the seams, like everything else has been pushed out of him to make room for Steve’s cock and he keens at the thought, cock twitching at the idea of Steve claiming him.

His scent spikes with _need_ and Steve’s thrusts grow harder, faster.

“My omega, mine,” Steve gasps, pushing Tony’s thighs up so he can lean against them and fuck deeper into him, thrusts rocking Tony’s body.

Tears pearl on his lashes as Steve takes him apart thrust by thrust, sobs leaving his throat raw as it goes on and on, sweat soaking the sheets beneath him.

He can hear how _wet_ he is on each thrust, the wet slap of skin on skin making him flush in embarrassment and arch up for _more_. Steve’s headboard slams against the wall with each thrust and if the neighbors didn’t know before, they do when Steve shifts and begins hitting Tony’s prostate and Tony wails with each thrust.

_Fuck Tony, lemme hear you doll_ Steve pants, hands sliding up the damp planes of Tony’s chest, fingers wrapping around Tony’s wrist to drag it away.

“Look at me,” Steve orders, growling when Tony doesn’t immediately open his eyes. “ _Omega_ ,” he rumbles and Tony gasps, eyes flying open, meeting that stormy blue gaze with his own.

“There’s my pretty omega,” Steve pants, red and slick lips curling up into a wry smirk. “You look so pretty on my cock doll, you gonna come? Hmm? Gonna come on alpha’s cock?”

Tony moans and rolls his hips down to meet Steve’s thrusts, nodding loosely, “Yes, _yes_ alpha,” he moans, mouth open around a seemingly endless string of moans.

Steve groans and leans down to kiss him, nipping at his lips, “That's my good omega,” he croons, hips snapping harder, his breath growing ragged.

Some distant part of Tony thinks he should be concerned about Steve’s breathing, but all he can focus on is the way Steve’s cock bruises him with each thrust, pushing him open wider and wider and for a breathless dizzy moment Tony imagines what his hole must look like all stretched out around Steve’s cock.

He cries out as his cock twitches and leaks, pressure building in his gut and he keens Steve’s name, begging his alpha loudly for his knot.

“ _Steve!_ Knot me, please alpha, please, I _need it_ ,” he whines, sobbing as Steve keeps on pounding into him.

Steve snarls and leans down, mouth closing around Tony’s swollen scent gland, sucking hard on it as he fucks harder into Tony.

White light blooms in his vision at the overstimulation to where he’s most sensitive, and distantly he hears himself shout, feels it when he comes, entirely untouched between them.

Steve groans and thrusts one, two, three more times before crying out raggedly. Tony whites out completely as he feels Steve’s knot swell and lock into place, rubbing against his prostate as Steve rolls his hips and fucks him through it, his knot tugging on Tony’s swollen and hot rim.

Tony looses a little bit of time because when he comes back around Steve is talking, but not to him.

“—need to _go_ Buck, I don want us snappin at each other.”

“I ain’t gonna snap atcha Stevie, you’re the one who gets possessive.”

Steve snorts, “Oh? An’ what about Mary Lou Hayes?” he asks tauntingly.

Bucky laughs loudly, “A’right you damn punk, that was _one_ time,” he says, and by now Tony is curious so he opens his eyes and finds Bucky Barnes standing over the bed, dark hair falling forward into his brow.

Bucky’s eyes slide to him, shit eating grin growing when he sees Tony’s lucid. “Heya doll, our Stevie here show ya a good time?” he asks teasingly, “or maybe you need another alpha too?”

Tony smirks tiredly and shifts, moaning softly at the feel of Steve’s knot inside him still. Steve’s gaze flicks down to him, brows furrowing in concern and Tony just pats his little ass and grins.

“Dunno, this guy did me pretty good already,” he taunts, voice hoarse. “Less you think you could do better?”

Bucky’s eyes darken and the scent of aroused alpha grows, filling Tony’s nose, enticing the heat that still lingers beneath his skin.

Tony turns his gaze back to Steve and smiles softly, hand abandoning Steve’s ass to push the sweaty blond locks back from his pinked face. “What do you think alpha, should we give your buddy a shot?” he asks gently, “dunno if you like sharing what’s _yours_ ,” he murmurs, tilting his jaw back to expose the purple skin of his scent gland.

Steve growls softly and latches onto it with a possessive lick, suckling until Tony’s panting and shifting, overstimulated but still craving more.

“You want more Tony?” Steve murmurs in his ear, “I can’t go again after knotting, not for a few hours, ‘less I’m rutting,” he admits.

Tony closes his eyes in bliss as Steve rocks his hips so his shrinking knot tugs on his rim as he licks on Tony’s gland.

“Yea,” he slurs, “might not get it up for ya, but I want it,” he admits, a blossom of shame in his gut for how needy he’s being.

Steve hums and licks his neck again, hips rolling back so his limp cock slides out of Tony with a rush of cum and slick. “Mkay doll,” he murmurs, kissing Tony sweetly, “Bucky’s gonna take real good care of you, _isn’t he Bucky?_ ” 

Steve lifts his head and narrows his gaze at Bucky who nods and lifts a hand to cover his heart, “Course Stevie, I’ll treat him real good,” he promises solemnly.

Steve nods in approval and rolls to lay beside Tony, one hand trailing between Tony’s legs to slip back into him and push the cum that had begun to leak out back into Tony.

“Look at how pink he is here,” Steve says conversationally, as though it’s not making Tony burn up from the inside out. Bucky makes a sound of interesting and when Tony opens his eyes again, he finds the handsome young man stripping out of his uniform eagerly, eyes locked between Tony’s legs.

Steve fingers Tony slowly, lazily, as if they have all the time in the world, as if he’s not aching and sore with a limp cock between his legs. Bucky moves to kneel between Tony’s legs, naked, his cock standing up proudly, dusky and long and leaking.

“ _Christ_ doll, look at the mess Stevie made of ya,” Bucky murmurs, Brooklyn accent even stronger than Steve’s. He leans in and pushes a finger in alongside Steve’s two, pumping it lazily, the wet squelch of it making Tony moan softly in embarrassment, face flushing.

“So pretty doll, all pink and stretched out,” Bucky says, sounding awed, “Stevie sure did a number on you, huh?”

Tony nods and groans, face hot, “Feels good,” he slurs, arm thrown over his eyes as he pants and squirms under Bucky and Steve’s touches.

“Should I be offended that pretty little cock o’ yours ain’t standing at attention yet?” Bucky murmurs kindly and Tony shakes his head even as he hears a low thud that sounds a lot like someone got slapped upside the head.

“ _Shuddup jerk_ ,” Steve hisses and Tony smiles softly from behind his arm.

“I’m not so young anymore Bucky,” Tony murmurs sleepily, shifting his hips down, seeking out more stimulation even as his nerves sing with their touch. “Bad heart like Stevie,” he sighs, “hard to get it up and keep it up.”

There’s a long moment of silence, and Tony shifts as his scent sours with fear and embarrassment and then there’s lips at his brow, gentle and tender. He inhales the smell of sweat and alpha, different than Steve, but just as delicious.

Bucky emanates _affectioncaredesire_ as he nuzzles Tony’s brow, lips brushing against Tony’s damp skin. “Hush doll, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset ya,” he whispers, “Yer good doll, so good for us, for me.”

Tony relaxes slowly, scent easing out as Bucky scents him, all over his face and down his throat, lips gentle and soft. The fingers in Tony shift and press into him, toying with his soft, sensitive insides, drawing out a soft keening moan from his ragged throat.

“Tha’s it doll, gonna make you feel so good,” Bucky murmurs, lips brushing over Tony’s bruised and swollen scent gland. Tony shudders as it throbs, the sweet scent of his arousal spilling out into the air.

Bucky groans and licks at it delicately, a growling purr rumbling out of his chest.

“ _Christ almighty_ Stevie, he tastes like _heaven_ ,” Bucky groans, and Tony hears Steve hum in response.

“You should getta taste of his slick Buck, it’s like honey.”

Bucky groans again and nips at Tony’s throat before sliding away, and Tony groans when the fingers inside him pull out, leaving him empty and aching. He cries out a moment later, hips jolting as a warm, wet mouth closes over his limp cock.

There’s a wet pop and then—“Oh honey, you taste so _good_ ,” Bucky groans, hands pushing Tony’s thighs apart further.

A pair of lips meet his and he opens his eyes in surprise, melting into the embrace when he sees it’s Steve. Steve kisses him soft and slow, encouraging his moans with a gentle scent of _praiseadorationdesire_.

Tony shudders as Bucky sucks gently on his soft cock, heat building under his skin again, the demand for a knot rising within him almost painfully slowly. Gentle fingers toy with nipples and he gasps into Steve’s mouth, sucking in the damp air laden with their combined scents.

The air smells like gunpowder and steel, ice and leather, and the hot musky scent of Tony’s heat. It blends together seamlessly and he sucks in a deep breath, craving it more with each moment that passes.

Steve kisses him slow and gentle as Bucky sucks his cock, the sensation of hands and mouths on him soothing even as he moans and shifts, skin feeling warm and tight and sensitive.

It hasn’t been this good in so long, he thinks. Usually his heat is a once a year thing now that he’s in his fifties, over in a day and with suppressants, it’s barely even uncomfortable.

But this, here with Steve and Bucky, it’s like his entire nervous system is being touched when Steve pinches his nipple or when Bucky slides two fingers into him and sucks his cock.

He’s a tired old omega, but they make him feel adored and wanted and desirable.

Bucky’s fingers find his prostate and he gasps into Steve's mouth, a tired hitching sob following it when Bucky rubs on it gently, not too hard, but just firm enough to make his cock twitch in Bucky’s mouth and start to plump up again.

He groans, mouth falling open slackly as Bucky keeps working him, the wet slurp of his mouth on Tony’s cock lewd and loud and enough to make him squirm.

It’s shameful how much he loves this, how it makes him writhe and beg like he’s everything society has ever accused him of being.

_Omega whore_

_Desperate for an alpha to put him in his place_

He sighs out a hiccupping laugh, oh if only they could see him _now_.

He’s spread out on rough sheets in a tiny poorly furnished tenement, body being used by two poor alpha’s with little more to their names than each other.

And Tony _adores it._

Every rich alpha he’s ever been with hasn’t given two fucks whether Tony enjoyed their time together, had fucked him facedown like he was just another nameless, faceless omega whore.

Tony flushes when he thinks of how good Steve and Bucky are taking care of him in comparison. He moans softly in pleasure, pleasure that has nothing to do with the way Steve is sucking on his nipple or Bucky is fingering his slick hole.

No, this pleasure is from knowing that they are genuine in their desire to make him feel good—to do everything they can to make his heat bearable and enjoyable.

Tony shivers when Bucky lets his cock slip out of his mouth, whining softly at the lack of stimulation.

“Shhh, yer just fine,” Bucky croons while Steve kisses his chest, a tiny hand pressing him down into the sheets. “Can I fuck you babydoll? Slick as a seal down here, could slide in real nice an easy,” he murmurs.

Tony nods gently because yea, he wants that, he wants Bucky’s cock in him, wants his knot even if he can’t come again.

“Please, _please_ alpha,” he slurs, opening his eyes to smile tiredly down at where Bucky is laying on his belly between Tony’s legs.

Bucky’s eyes are dark and hungry and Tony can scent the _pridewantinglonging_ in the air that emanates from Bucky alongside the soothing scent of Steve’s _satisfactiondesireyearning_ and it’s all just a little much for his tired omega brain.

He sobs halfheartedly and makes grabby hands at Bucky— _alpha_ he whines, sighing in delight when Bucky hurries to slide up his body and slot them together in a warm, hungry kiss.

He can feel Steve’s warm presence beside him as Bucky kisses him senseless, the lean lines of Bucky’s body hot and firm against Tony’s limp and tired form.

_Inside alpha,_ he moans into the kiss, _need you inside._

Bucky’s chest rumbles and alpha pride fills the air. “I got you omega, my omega, my sweet baby,” Bucky croons as he shifts and lifts Tony’s hips up off the bed and into his lap.

He guides his cock into the cleft of Tony’s ass, rolling his hips so it slides between his cheeks, the head of it snagging on the edge of his hole and tugging. Tony gasps brokenly and whines, begging Bucky to _just get inside me alpha, **in me please!**_

Bucky groans and rolls his hips again, coating his cock in the slick and cum that’s smeared all over Tony’s skin. On the next roll of his hips he guides his cock and sinks into Tony, both of them groaning at the sensation.

Tony sobs a little at how tender his rim is, how stretched out and hot he feels from where Steve had broken him open and laid him bare. It feels scary and amazing to be this raw and vulnerable, to be so well used and be taken again.

“ _Aww **shit**_ honey, your hole is _all_ tore up, ain’t it?” Bucky gasps, thumbing at it as he pushes in further. “ _Yea_ , Stevie sure did soften you up for me doll.”

Tony sobs again as Bucky sinks deeper into him—not as thick as Steve, but long and deliciously curved. Each slow pushpull of Bucky’s cock inside him passes directly over his prostate, the relentless nature of it making him writhe and gasp, not sure if he’s trying to get away or get more.

His tongue decides for him and he babbles _moremoremore_ , sobbing weakly as Bucky rocks into him faster. Bucky curls over him and kisses him, hips still moving steadily, like they have all the time in the world, like Tony isn’t falling apart under him.

Bucky nudges his nose gently and kisses the corner of Tony’s mouth, “Can ya get up on yer knees for me doll?” he asks softly, smirking softly when Tony whines but nods.

He can do that for his alpha.

Bucky is gentle when he pulls out and both he and Steve help guide him over onto his belly and then up onto his knees when he’s shaking too hard to do it himself.

Strong coppery arms wrap around his waist and across his chest, pulling him up so he’s splashed out over Bucky lap, the force of gravity helping him to slide back down his cock, a shudder shaking his body at the sensation.

Bucky’s lips brushing against his scent gland, “Tha’s so good doll, bet that feels so nice, huh?” he croons, licking at the gland that’s swollen and hot and over sensitive.

Tony keens and nods, panting for breath, eyes barely open he’s so dizzy. He can see Steve watching them, cheeks pink and biting on his lower lip, eyes filled with heated interest despite his soft cock.

“Stevie, you wanna suck him?” Bucky offers and Tony nods, even though the question hadn’t been posed to him.

Bucky chuckles soft and low in his ear, “Our pretty little omega, so eager for your alpha’s, hmm?”

Tony nods again and lifts a shaky hand from where he’s been clinging to Bucky and wiggles his fingers at Steve. The blond doesn’t waste anytime and is pressed up against Tony a moment later, mouth warm and insistent against Tony’s.

It’s sweet and tender and Tony melts into their arms, the scent of pleased omega filling the air. Bucky tongues at his scent gland and rolls his hips, slow and deep, more a grind than anything and it makes Tony gasp into Steve’s mouth.

His skin is tight with arousal and need burns in his blood, but he’s still not hard—not that really expected to be able to get it up again so soon. Still, he wishes he could.

He wishes he was his younger self, the Tony that had been wild and relentless in his youth, chasing pleasure like a hedonist. That body had been firm and glowing with youth and capable of going for days during his heat.

Now he’s got more grey in his hair than he’d like and the scars on his body are more numerous than the stars and his cock is a stubborn thing that does what it wants when it wants.

If it wasn’t for his heart he’d happily try a little blue helper, but he values his life more than he does an erection.

Bucky grinds into him and manages to find his prostate and then sets up camp there, thrusting and grinding into Tony as his body leaks slick and exudes _satisfiedarousedoverwhelmed_ , the scent filling the air between them.

Bucky’s icy scent tastes like snow on his tongue, paired perfectly with Steve’s peppery scent. It’s hot and cold and a dizzying study in opposites melding perfectly together.

Eventually Steve slips away and kisses down his body, hands tracing over his scars, lips following after with tender kisses that bring tears to his eyes.

His eyes fly open in surprise when Steve’s fingers slide down to where Bucky is fucking him, coating his fingers in the cum and slick that’s leaking out with each thrust before holding them up for Tony.

The message is clear— _suck_.

He does so eagerly, whining in his throat when he tastes them mixed together, like some kind of ambrosia. He recognizes this for what it is—he’s found his mates.

A sob hitches his chest because isn’t that just like his life?

The futurist finding his mates in the past.

He lets out a wrecked little laugh and shakes his head when Steve and Bucky make questioning sounds.

He’s _fine_.

Steve eyes him suspiciously, like maybe he can smell Tony’s heartbreak, but he doesn’t say anything. Instead he lays on his side and wraps skinny fingers around Tony’s cock and closes his lush pink lips around it.

Tony has always thought Steve had a mouth made for sucking cock and now that he sees it he’s thrilled to find he’s vindicated.

They’re thick and plush and stretched around Tony’s cock, shining with spit as he works Tony deeper into his mouth, tongue flicking against him.

Tony shudders at the sheer amount of overwhelming sensations—Bucky is still fucking him and sucking on his scent gland, and he’s sure it’s so swollen now that just a light bite would make him come.

His cock isn’t hard, barely halfway there, but he can still feel his orgasm building low in his gut.

He hangs on as his alpha’s pleasure him, taking him and making him shake and keen, body like a fuse overloaded with input. He feels like he’s glowing from the inside out, shining with all the praise that Bucky croons against his skin.

_Tha’s it babydoll, let em all hear how yer alphas take care of ya_

_Say my name doll, c’mon, say it_

_Gonna fill you up darlin, breed that pretty hole real good_

_That_ one makes him quake and buck in their arms, because even if he’s too old to be bred, he still adores the idea of carrying his alpha’s pups.

Bucky growls and thrusts harder, breathing ragged in Tony’s ear and how long have they been going? He sounds like he’s going to come, going to knot Tony, but that can’t be right, didn’t they just start?

He’s dazed and limp in their arms, moaning near constantly as he’s pushed and pulled between sensations, Steve’s mouth hot and wet and so fucking perfect and Bucky’s cock, hard and long, reaching so deep inside him it feels like it’s in his throat.

The fingers of Bucky’s left hand slip and curl around Tony’s throat, his teeth nipping at Tony’s jaw as he _just keeps going._ “Ya feel me up here? Hmm?” he asks, squeezing lightly.

Tony nods and moans loudly, _yes alpha, **please**._

Bucky growls, the possessive rumble of it against Tony’s spine making him shiver.

“I got ya, my omega, my sweet darlin,” Bucky croons, worrying a dark mark onto the skin of Tony’s jaw as he fucks into him harder. “Gonna knot ya oma, gonna fill ya up.”

Tony can’t hold back his cries of pleasure as Steve takes him deeper in his throat and swallows around him as Bucky pins him in place with a bruising grip on his throat and hip. He pounds into Tony, growling and cursing and gasping sweet promises till he cries out sharply and his knot swells, shoving past Tony’s abused and swollen rim.

Tony’s eyes fly open in shock at the blissful pain, body shaking so hard he’d collapse if Bucky wasn’t holding him. He sobs as Bucky thrusts, the hot spill of his cock inside him making Tony shudder—his alpha is so good, filling him up like this.

His cock twitches in Steve’s mouth, the dry heat of his orgasm scorching his veins as he shakes through it with every tug of Bucky’s knot on his hole. It’s all far too much and he cries ecstatic tears, sobbing as Steve pulls off his cock and Bucky slows inside him.

They gentle him with crooning praise and aggressive scenting, kisses and soft touches until he’s not sobbing so hard, breathing still unsteady, but easier now.

Bucky guides them down onto their sides and the tug of his knot sets off another round of Bucky’s cock spilling inside him. Tony whimpers and Bucky hushes him, rubbing a hand over Tony’s belly.

“Shhh yer okay darlin, gonna be so full when I’m done witcha.”

Tony whimpers at that, face pressed into the pillow, mouth slack and wet around his gasps as Bucky’s hips roll forward gently, the overstimulation of it burning and aching and perfect.

Steve lays down in front of him and turns his face out of the pillow so he can kiss him, slow and sweet.

That’s how he falls asleep; with Steve’s lips against his own, and Bucky’s knot still swollen inside him.

* * *

  
When he wakes up there’s light streaming in through the windows, illuminating the fact that last night had not in fact been a dream.

He’s sore and empty and when he looks over his shoulder, Bucky is gone. A low whine slips out of his throat, _why did his alpha leave?_ Was he not good?

_Panicfearworry_ tinges the air sourly and Tony jolts when lips press to his throat. He’s been so distracted he barely noticed Steve is still in bed with him.

“Where’s Bucky?” he asks, hating how he sounds fretful.

Steves sleepy blue eyes are warm as he slides closer and tugs Tony’s body against his—Tony doesn’t think he’ll ever stop being surprised by how strong he is, even at this size.

“Went t’get a heat leave—he was supposed ta ship out this mornin’, but he didn’t wanna leave when your heat hasn’t broken.”

It’s only when Steve says it that he suddenly realizes that the familiar too hot, skin too tight, needy as fuck feeling has in fact, _not_ gone away like he’d assumed it would.

_Fuck_

Time travel and meeting his mates must have triggered a longer heat as a way to entice bonding.

“Sorry,” he murmurs, hiding his face in the crook of Steve’s neck where he can smell sweat and sex and _them_. He inhales greedily and purrs, melting when Steve chuckles softly and runs his fingers up Tony’s spine to push into his messy hair.

“What are ya sorry bout baby?” he murmurs, “we _want_ to take care of you.” Slim fingers pet through his hair and Tony melts slowly into the comfort Steve is offering.

“Most people don’t want a broken down omega that’s too old to breed properly and can’t come with any reliability. Especially not two gorgeous young alphas,” he says against Steve’s skin, words slightly muffled but still understandable.

Steve snorts and shakes his head, “Doll, you got it the wrong way round. Bucky n’I are poor and low class—I dunno how we got so lucky as to meet a fancy fella like yourself, but believe me, there ain’t nothin wrong with you darlin.”

He kisses Tony’s hair and continues, “I don’ think Bucky or I would _want_ to breed an omega—we can’t provide for a baby, and it’s just cruel to bring a baby into the world when you can’t provide for it.”

Gentle hands caress his back and Tony sighs softly, contentment filling him.

“Sides doll, we got matchin bad hearts, ain’t no real trouble if we can’t always go like we wanna. Bucky will take care of ya if I can’t, promise you that,” Steve murmurs with a low chuckle.

His fingers slide down Tony’s spine and slip into the cleft of his ass, eliciting a weak gasp from Tony. They slip down and rub gently around his swollen and sticky hole and Steve rumbles out his approval.

“Mmm took care of ya _real_ good, didn’t we?” he murmurs, the scent of pleased alpha filling Tony’s nose as his fingers toy with Tony’s rim.

He’s so sore and sensitive, but _good Christ_ it feels amazing. He keens softly when Steve pushes two fingers into him, the burn making him gasp and squirm.

“Shhh, lay still doll, lemme take care of you,” Steve murmurs, pumping his fingers lazily. It burns and aches but Tony can’t help but push his hips back into it, begging for more with a low whine.

Steve chuckles again and pulls his fingers out with a sticky sound and then trails them up Tony’s back, painting marks on his skin with the slick mess on his fingers.

Tony’s eyes roll back in his head at the aggressive marking—he’s going to reek of alpha for _days_ even if he showers.

Steve's fingers go back again and again, marking him on his back, thighs, hips, neck, and finally on his scent gland. By the time he’s done Tony’s cock is leaking, mostly hard between them and Tony is rocking his hips forward, breathy pleas on his lips.

“Please alpha, need you, _please_ ,” he begs, pressing his face into Steve’s throat, inhaling the steadying scent of alpha.

“M not hard doll, I’m so sorry,” Steve whispers, “you want me ta finger you?” he offers, sounding truly apologetic.

_Yes_ , Tony moans, _yes_. He wants whatever his alpha will give him, he just needs him now, _needs_ to be taken care of.

Steve nods and kisses his temple, “Okay darlin, I got ya,” he promises.

His fingers go back to where Tony is leaking slick and slide in past his swollen and tender rim and Tony sobs in relief, gasping and rocking back as Steve fills him with one, two, three fingers.

Steve sets a good pace and murmurs encouragement as Tony ruts forward into him, grinding his cock into Steve’s hip. Steve mouths at his scent gland, licking and sucking as he fucks Tony, fingers pushing and pulling relentlessly like the tides of the ocean.

The slow burn of pleasure in his gut makes him writhe—he’s never felt like this before during a heat or outside of one. He’s never had it so good and part of him is already mourning the fact that he won’t ever have it again.

Steve wraps a hand around his mostly hard cock and strokes him firmly, sucking on Tony’s scent gland as he focused on his prostate and Tony comes, suddenly and _hard_.

He shakes through it as his cock paints Steve’s belly white, gasping into Steve’s mouth when he kisses Tony. Eventually Steve releases his cock but leaves his fingers inside Tony, something he deeply appreciates.

He’s mostly asleep when he hears a door open in the distance and whines softly when Steve shifts and pulls his fingers free.

“Hush darlin, rest. Bucky’s back an’ I’m gonna go talk to him, okay?” Steve murmurs, lips brushing against Tony’s and then over his brow.

Tony makes some kind of affirmative sound and he feels the bed shift, hears Steve’s feet shuffle on the rough wooden floor and then the low murmur of voices.

He sleeps then, deep and dreamless and only wakes when a hand gently shakes him. He rolls and whines at the protest from his lower body, the sound met with a low laugh that he identifies as Bucky.

“Worked you over good, huh doll? How bout somethin to eat?” he offers and it’s only then that Tony realizes he can smell bacon and eggs and the bready smell of toast.

He nods and rubs sleepily at his eyes, flushing when he sees the way Bucky is smiling so soft and fond at him. He wants to hide from it so he turns his chin and closes his eyes, but that just makes Bucky chuckle and lean in to kiss his throat.

“You wanna eat in bed doll?” he asks lowly, and then licks Tony’s scent gland, startling a moan out of him. “Or maybe you wanna be _my_ breakfast,” he whispers hotly, chuckling when Tony moans softly at that idea.

He receives a sharp pat to his ass and groans as the vibrations make it ache, flushing at Bucky’s laugh. “A’right love, you stay here an Stevie and I will bring you breakfast.”

Tony nods and smiles happily, the warm scent of pleased omega oozing out of his skin. Bucky chuckles again and Tony opens his eyes to watch him saunter away.

With a low groan he rolls onto his back and covers his face with his hands.

Stupid, _stupid_ Tony for falling for them _both_.

He should leave, now, while his heat is abated for the moment and go back to the future.

Before he can do more than consider it, he hears Steve and Bucky approaching and squirms his way up into a seated position, which, _ow_. He grimaces and shifts again and sighs when he realizes that he’s just not going to be able to get comfortable.

Maybe it’s in his scent, because Steve and Bucky take one look at him and suddenly he’s being rearranged so that he’s lying mostly on his hip with Bucky at his back and Steve at his front and then they’re _feeding him_ , first with a fork and then slowly over time with fingers.

It’s deeply intimate and erotic, and even though he’s come once already this morning, he can smell his slick and feel Bucky’s cock pressing against him.

He licks and sucks their fingers clean, enjoying the way his alpha’s groan and murmur praise, floating on the heady sensation of being so utterly adored and wanted.

Eventually he finds himself sucking Bucky’s cock lazily while Steve strokes his cock and watches them, eyes burning with lust. When Steve manages to get hard Tony waves him over and has him kneel beside Bucky’s hip.

He takes turns sucking and licking them, makes it as sloppy and good as he knows how, pleasures burning in his gut as his alpha’s moan and cry out his name.

Reaching back, he fingers his hole and gets himself nice and wet before pulling off Bucky’s cock and moving to sink down on it. Bucky cries out in surprise and jolts up into him and Tony moans at the sensation.

He waves Steve over breathlessly and starts sucking his cock again as he rolls his hips and starts riding Bucky. Both men groan and babble nonsense, praising Tony, touching him, making him _feel_.

He’s not hard in the slightest and he’s not sure he could come if he tried, but _fuck_ he doesn’t care, because he’s filled with his alphas and he’s being good and taking care of them when they’ve taken such good care of him and _shit_ he feels amazing.

He chokes on Steve’s cock and distantly hears the young man cry out at the sensation, so he swallows and does it again, encouraging Steve to fuck his mouth with a push on Steve’s ass and a bleary eyed moan.

Steve takes the hint, breathing raggedly, and cups Tony’s face gently before fucking forward. Tony groans, garbled and wet, sinking deeper into the sensation of being used by his alpha.

He rolls his hips and works as hard as he can to make Bucky come, lightheaded and drooling.

The sticky wet sound of his overworked hole makes him shudder and keen, the air so oversaturated with sex it’s almost a physical thing.

Bucky shifts and starts pounding up into him and Tony keens, high and sharp as his overstimulated body is tested to its limit.

He can feel Bucky’s knot swelling and grinds down into it, gagging on Steve’s cock as he groans his delight at the way the knot fucks into him, pulling and pushing at his sore rim.

Tears roll down his cheeks, and he looks up at Steve in adoration, utterly blissed out and he thinks maybe that’s what does it for Steve—the sight of his omega utterly gone on his alpha.

Steve cries out and yanks on Tony’s hair sharply, shoving deep into his throat as he comes, and then pulls out as his knot starts to swell and strokes himself off on Tony’s face.

Steve’s face is twisted in agonized pleasure as he strokes his cock and squeezes on his knot with his other hand, a sob falling from his lips as he shoots cum all over Tony’s face and chest.

He wobbles and collapses to his knees when he’s done, smiling shakily at Tony, something like pride and adoration in his eyes.

“Christ almighty Tony, you’re _perfect_ ,” Steve gasps and then leans in to kiss him, heedless of the mess on his face. Tony moans and kisses him back eagerly, gasping when Steve licks the cum from his face and then wipes the rest away with his fingers and offers it to Tony to lick clean.

Bucky groans at the display and fucks into him hard, once, twice, three times before his knot fully pops and shoves into Tony. They both shout and Tony sobs again, squirming to try and get, closer? Further? from the sensation...he’s not really sure what he wants.

Bucky’s hands squeeze Tony’s hips and pull him down, grinding his knot into Tony ruthlessly.

Tony pants and sobs as Bucky’s cock spills into him, filling him. His limbs tremble so badly he can’t stay upright anymore, just slumps down, boneless against Bucky’s chest.

Gentle hands pet his hair and lips press to his brow, “So good oma, you did so _good_ ,” Bucky croons. “Christ Stevie, didn’t he?”

“Sure did Buck.”

Lips press to the back of his neck and he moans, over sensitive and shaky.

“You were _incredible_ doll,” Steve whispers, “our perfect omega.”

Tony preens at the praise but can do little more than breathe, moaning when a few minutes later Bucky comes inside him again.

He’s _so_ full he aches with it, but he craves it too—it’s exactly what’s been missing during his heats for _decades_.

He falls asleep like that, sweaty and messy and filled with Bucky.

When he wakes, he’s empty again, but this time he’s spooned between Steve _and_ Bucky, so he can’t really complain.

Eventually they all wake and his alphas help him to their tiny bathroom where he’s able to relieve himself and then, much to his surprise, he’s given a bath.

Steve and Bucky take turns washing with him even though the tub is too small, and the tear ends up all over the floor, but none of them care all that much.

Bucky goes back out and buys more food—his heat allowance from the military pays well enough to afford meat and vegetables _and_ alcohol.

When he comes back they have a whole chicken, roasted with herbs and lemons—Tony shares his mother’s recipe and his alphas heap praise and kisses on him, crooning that their omega is the _bestsweetestsmartest_ in the whole damn world.

Tony tries not to let it go to his head, but he hasn’t been this...loved? Maybe. In a long time.

Maybe ever.

Certainly not since his mother and Jarvis were still alive.

Tony and Steve rest on the couch while Bucky washes their sheets, all of them exhausted. Steve’s head rests in Tony’s lap while he reads from a science fiction novel that looks well read, Tony’s free hand petting through Steve’s hair.

The scent of content alpha makes Tony sink deeper into the couch, entirely unwilling to ever leave this cozy nest of theirs.

They pass the remainder of the evening kissing and petting, but not really accomplishing much while Tony’s heat is soothed by the amount of cum that Steve and Bucky have rubbed into his skin.

He’s never felt so content, so at home, and he shyly tells them as much, and to his amazement, both Steve and Bucky admit they’ve never shared a heat with an omega that’s felt this intimate before.

They trade life stories and talk for hours and by the time they’re all yawning heavily, Tony’s a little more than halfway in love with them both.

They go to bed early, all of them exhausted and hoping to sleep for some time before Tony’s heat comes back in force, and Tony smiles into the curve of Steve’s neck, utterly content to be wrapped around his alpha, with his other alpha curved around his back.

When Tony wakes it’s still dark and he’s sweaty and shaking, the pain in his gut sharp enough to take his breath away. He’s also hard, which is a pleasant surprise, but Steve and Bucky are still asleep so he reaches between his legs and slicks his fingers before wrapping them around his cock with a hiss of pleasure.

He strokes himself but there’s nothing like orgasm even close to being in his reach and he whines lowly, he needs his alphas.

His desperation fills the air and a moment later he hears a sleepy sound from Steve and then an inhale followed by a curse.

“Shit doll, why didn’t you wake us?” Steve asks sleepily, already shifting and nudging at Bucky till he wakes. Bucky makes a low questioning sound till Tony’s scent hits him and then Tony feels hands around his hips, pulling and maneuvering him till he’s in Bucky’s lap.

“Didn’t want to be a bother, wanted you to sleep,” Tony murmurs, “but I need you alpha, need you,” he whines, hips grinding down into where Bucky is rapidly growing hard.

“Okay doll, we got ya, jus hold on,” Bucky promises, reaching between them to grasp his mostly hard cock and guide it into Tony.

They both shudder and moan at the sensation, Tony louder than Bucky. He’s so sensitive and wet and it all feels like too much and not enough already and he can’t imagine _why_ , all he knows is that he needs _more_.

He doesn’t realize he’s been babbling till Bucky hushes him and pets all over his chest, crooning as he starts fucking up into Tony hard and fast.

Slick leaks out of Tony and he keens, body overworked and sore, but still, it’s not enough.

_Moremoremore_ he sobs, begging loudly of his alphas, _pleasemorealphaplease._

“Shit, Stevie, touch ‘im,” Bucky orders breathlessly.

Steve wraps a hand around Tony’s cock and that’s _good_ but not _enough_.

He bounces down on Bucky’s cock, a scream of frustration building in his throat and he sobs, tears on his cheeks as he begs, “ _Please alpha_ , please, more, _more_ ,” throat raw as he cries, “Steve, _alpha_ , please, Bucky!”

It’s never hurt this badly, the need to get **_inside him._**

“ _God, **fuck**!_” he cries out, nearly violent in his thrusts down onto Bucky, “ _Please_ alpha!”

Steve curses and jacks him harder, murmuring praise urgently, trying to soothe the wild omega.

Tony knocks his hand away and grabs it, squeezes as he searches out Steve’s gaze in the murky light. “Inside me,” he pants, “ _get inside me_ ,” he demands, a growl rising in his throat.

Steve’s eyes go wide and he shakes his head, “Doll, you can’t, it’ll wreck you,” he whispers and Tony sobs at the rejection, scent turning bitter and sour.

Steve’s whole demeanor changes immediately, shoulders straightening, jaw clenching, blue eyes blazing.

“Okay,” he agrees, “okay doll, but you gotta slow down on Bucky, lemme work you open so you can take us both,” he urges and Tony nods frantically.

Still, he moans at the loss of friction and heat and pleasure when he slows himself to a gentle rolling thrust, and when he looks down he feels a pang of shame because Bucky is gasping for air and flushed a deep red from trying to keep up with him.

He collapses forward and moves his hips slowly, giving Bucky some relief from the overwhelming stimulation even as his body screams at him not to slow down, to just ride and take and take and take until he’s satisfied.

Kissing Bucky’s throat gently, he murmurs apologies and nuzzles him, scenting his alpha. He feels Steve shift and then moans when a finger works into him alongside Bucky’s cock, and it barely feels like any strain at all.

“My alpha, mine,” he moans, licking at Bucky’s neck where a bond mark would go.

Bucky’s hands trail shakily up his back, “Yours baby, all yours,” he agrees, tilting his chin to nudge against Tony till he kisses Bucky, both of them sighing in relief.

Lips press to Tony’s back and Steve murmurs, “My omega,” before slipping a second finger into him, the stretch aching like a bruise that’s been poked.

Tony moans at the sensation and rolls his hips, sighing in pleasure at the aching burn. He’s still feeling on edge and wild with need, but he bridles it, waiting for when Steve is inside him to release it.

He trades kisses with Bucky, taking turns with the alpha to scent mark each other, moaning when Steve scents the back of his neck and licks there, the joining of their scents making him want to cry.

His _mates_.

He’s found them.

He doesn’t realize he’s said it till Bucky kisses him harshly and rumbles out his pleasure loudly, “ _Matematemate_ ,” he pants, “ours, our omega, _mine_.”

Steve growls and nips at the nape of Tony’s neck and pushes a third finger into him, eliciting a sharp cry from Tony’s raw throat.

“Our mate,” Steve whispers, fingers thrusting counter to Tony’s thrusts, keeping him on edge and aching for more. “Mine, my oma,” he rumbles, licking at Tony’s skin in a dizzying display of possession.

By the time Steve has four fingers inside him Tony is slick with sweat and his thighs are shaking from trying to hold himself back.

Bucky and Steve pet him, like he’s a scared horse, soothing him with low murmurs of _ours, mine, omega._

His omega rejoices at their claims, but he burns for their marks, for their knots.

He doesn’t realize he’s been tearfully chanting _knotmeknotmeknotme_ over and over again till Steve kisses his spine and forces him to be still.

“Steady doll, steady,” he murmurs, “gonna give you my knot, gonna treat you real good baby.”

Bucky croons promises into Tony’s mouth, fingers tugging gently on his hair, and he’s caught between them, right where he wants to be.

Steve leaves his fingers inside Tony, spreads them out and pushes Tony open wide around where Bucky’s cock is just barely inside him and he keens sharply, feeling so so empty inside.

“Hush now doll, everything is gonna be _okay_ ,” Steve whispers and then there’s blunt pressure on his hole and Tony strangles on a shout, panting rapidly as Steve’s huge cock pushes into him so so slowly.

It _burns_.

Burns like fire up his spine, burns like napalm in his veins, unquenchable and hot. His rim too burns, hot and painful and _perfect_.

Tears stream down his face and he’s dimly aware of Bucky covering his face with kisses, shaking under him as he struggles to hold still so he doesn’t hurt Tony.

“Move a little Buck,” Steve orders in a low pinched voice, and then _oh_ Bucky is pushing into him too and he’s open, he’s _so_ open it feels like he’ll split in half.

A keen falls from his lips and he grows dizzy at the pressure building within him, the dam on his restraint crumbling with every inch of his alpha’s cocks sliding into him.

Bucky wraps his arms around Tony, he and Steve shifting so Bucky is sitting up with his back against the headboard, Tony cradled against his chest and Steve at Tony’s back.

Then... _oh then_ , they _move_.

Tony screams at the first thrust, hole leaking slick in a stream to accommodate the two alpha cocks inside him. It squelches loudly when his alphas thrust again and again, setting a rhythm that leaves Tony howling into Bucky’s shoulder, teeth aching to bite down and claim.

He doesn’t know how long it goes on like that, how long his body feels like it’s threatening to tear apart at the seams. All he knows is agonizing bliss, a sense of being so full that he can barely breathe.

He goes limp eventually, keening and moaning as his alphas use him. Finally, his body has been given what it’s been begging for— _everything_.

Steve and Bucky are both cursing and praising him, and he thinks distantly that if their combined scent hasn’t driven every omega and alpha in a three block radius into rut/heat already, it surely will now.

He’s delirious with pleasure, mouth slung open and he doesn’t even care that he’s drooling as he moans, utterly gone on his alphas.

His hole _sloshes_ and he burns with arousal and shame at how much he loves it, keening and pushing his hips weakly back, _morealphamore_ falling from his lips.

Bucky chuckles weakly and lifts Tony’s chin with strong fingers around his jaw. Tony’s dazed, but he can see the scorching _want_ in Bucky’s eyes as he looks over Tony’s face.

“Lookit ya, all blissed out on your alpha’s cocks,” he croons, hips rolling steadily, “such a good omega, so perfect for us, isn’t he Stevie?”

“Y-yea Buck, _perfect_ ,” Steve gasps, breathing ragged and heavy. “Ours,” he tacks on with a particularly hard thrust that makes Tony keen.

Bucky kisses Tony and he can barely work up the strength to kiss him back, mouth slick and weak, gasps and moans coming with every raw breath as he’s used.

“Shit doll, we oughta have Stevie draw ya like this so I can take it with me when I go,” Bucky groans, “have a reminder of my perfect oma with me wherever I go.”

Steve groans, “ _Aww shit_ Buck,” he pants, “you oughta see his hole from back here, ‘s all stretched out and slack. _Shit_ ,” he curses again, thrusts growing harder, uneven and sloppy, “gonna—”

Bucky nods unevenly, “Yea Stevie, knot him, gonna give it to him too,” he groans, hips snapping up into Tony harshly.

It’s all so much, hearing his alphas talk about knotting him together, feeling the way he’s stretched so _wide_ and _open_ , aching deep within him where they’ve bruised his soft insides.

He wants their knots, _and_ their claim.

“Claim me,” he gasps, “alphas, _claim me_ ,” he moans, “ _please_.”

There’s a long moment of silence and then the dual growls of two alphas pushed to their very limits.

Tony shouts as they fuck into him, pounding him into submission, tears on his cheeks as they gasp and moan, their knots swelling rapidly. The pressure is so intense it feels like he’ll burst, like he’s going to explode, and he sobs, begging mindlessly for it.

Steve’s is the first knot to catch and hold, followed shortly by Bucky’s and his hole is stretched so wide he screams in agonized pleasure.

And then—

Two sets of teeth sink into his flesh, right on his scent gland.

He smells copper and slick and cum and _screams_ as the bond flares to life between them, his own cock spilling between he and Bucky. His alphas spill inside him and he’s so full, so so full it _aches_.

Bucky groans and pushes the heel of his hand into Tony’s abdomen, the pressure too much as their knots inside him grind against his rim and his prostate.

He’s still coming—or he’s coming again, he’s not sure, all he knows is that he’s crying out, throat raw, chest heaving as he breathes too fast, too hard, and black blossoms in his vision.

He passes out between his alphas, much to their surprise and worry.

When he comes back around they’re still inside him, and Steve is draped over his back, licking at the sore bond mark. Bucky pets his belly and Tony moans when he feels that they’re both coming (still? Again? Doesn’t matter).

Their breathing is ragged just like his, but they’re murmuring his name and _oma, ours, our omega_ , over and over again, scenting him and licking at the bond so that it heals sooner.

He’s weak and shaky, but eventually he works the words out of his mouth—“Wanna claim you, my alphas.”

He feels them both go still and then there’s a flurry of kisses on his hair and face and neck and murmurs of his good he is, how _perfect_.

Bucky offers up his left wrist and Tony closes his teeth down on the skin till he tastes blood, groaning as his side of the bond solidifies. He licks at the bond mark till it’s sealed, till Bucky is shaking and crying softly, and then they’re kissing, slow and soft and sweet.

When they finally break apart, Tony cranes his neck and smiles weakly at Steve—“Alpha?” he asks questioningly, able to smell on Steve his worry that Tony doesn’t want to complete the bond with him.

Steve offers his left wrist too—it’s a move as old as time. Omegas claim the left wrist, where the veins carry blood directly to and from the heart, and in modern times it’s accompanied with a wedding band, but here, where his alphas are so poor they can barely afford food most weeks, they only take the bite.

As Tony’s teeth close on Steve’s skins he thinks recklessly that maybe he’ll stay, maybe he can convince them to leave America behind and go live in a cabin in Canada so they’ll both be _safe._

But if they did that, they wouldn’t be the men he loves.

Tears are on his cheeks yet again as he licks at the bond mark, overwhelming joy and pride filling him.

He’ll think about the consequences of this later.

For now, he settles down with his alphas to sleep, blood finally cooled, heat broken and gone.

* * *

  
Tony convinces them to go back to the Stark Expo, hoping that he’s doing the right thing.

He watches as Steve sneaks away to try and enlist again.

Watches as Bucky and Steve argue.

Watches as Bucky walks away, tears in his eyes.

Watches as Dr. Erskine makes his pitch.

They’re all hurting when they go home—and it’s odd to think of this tiny apartment as _home_ , but it’s where he’s found his alphas, _of course_ it’s home.

Tony soothes the rough edges on his alphas and gentles them, making love slowly, till they’re all sweaty and sated and if they all ignore the dampness on their faces, well, Tony certainly isn’t going to bring it up.

When he and Steve wake the next morning Bucky is sitting by the bed, watching them, dressed in his uniform, hat in his hands.

He’s tearful, but he smiles anyway.

Tony and Steve clean themselves up and dress and then walk to the train station, the time travel bracelet heavy on his wrist where he’d put it before they left.

Bucky kisses Tony thoroughly and scents him for good measure before hugging Steve tightly and pressing a kiss to his temple.

“Take care of each other,” he whispers rawly, shuddering as Steve and Tony embrace him together. Tony wants to scream _don’t go_ , but he’s already fucked with the timeline so much he knows he can’t risk it.

They watch his train leave, standing there as the crowds depart and thunder rumbles overhead.

It’s now or never.

He turns to Steve and swallows hard, forcing the words out. “I have to go. I’m not from here and I have to tie up loose ends back home before I can come and stay and be with you,” he explains( _lies_ ).

Steve looks heartbroken, but nods gently, floppy blond hair falling into his eyes. He pushes it away with a huff that makes Tony smile, and he replaces Steve’s fingers with his own, pushing the hair back and then cupping the back of his head so he can lean down and kiss him.

Steve clings to him until they’re both breathless and Tony rests his brow on Steve’s inhaling his scent for what is probably the last time.

Steve holds his hand as he buys a ticket to California (he lies again and says he’s from San Francisco) and doesn’t let it go till the last minute, fingers slipping away as Tony boards the train.

He watches as Steve’s tiny figure grows smaller and smaller until it’s gone, and then he’s stumbling to the bathroom to vomit, chest heaving as he sobs, his bond marks _aching_.

He cries until his throat is raw, curled into a corner of the tiny bathroom, body swaying with the motion of the train.

He’s exhausted and sore and heartsick, but he has to go home.

It’s a moments work to set the time watch, and then it’s bending around him and he’s crying out as he lands, back at the lake house.

_Agony_ rips through him and he screams, clutching at his bond mark as time adjusts around him, the hot flare of grief within him as Bucky’s bond severs making him retch.

He hears his name shouted and then feels hands guiding him up to sit on stairs, swallows the water that’s pressed to his lips and struggles to breathe as he keens out his loss.

“Tony what happened?” Natasha asks, voice low and urgent.

“W-where...is...Bucky?” he gasps out raggedly, “Steve?”

Natasha calls their names and he looks up when his name is called, and he can see it in their faces—they _remember_.

He’s up on his feet, stumbling toward them, and then he’s in their arms, wrapped tightly between them as his alphas scent him and weep.

Bucky nuzzles into Tony’s hair, breath hitching, “I _remember_ ,” he gasps, “ _How?_ How do I remember?” he asks.

Steve makes a questioning sound and kisses Tony’s brow, “Cuz we’ve got the smartest omega in the whole damn _universe_ ,” he says with a wet laugh.

Tony’s chest hitches as he lets out a soft laugh too, but it’s short lived as his bond mark burns, unfinished and aching. He squirms out of Steve’s arms and turns to face Bucky, swallowing hard before pulling his shirt aside so the other man can see that his mark is gone.

“ _You died_ ,” Tony whispers, and then his gaze flicks to Bucky’s left arm, and something in him keens at the realization that _his_ mark is gone from Bucky’s flesh now too.

Those familiar blue eyes turn stormy and sad. Bucky shuffles his feet and looks away, “I’m not the man who marked you,” he whispers hoarsely, “maybe—”

“ _Bullshit_ ,” Tony cuts in raggedly, stepping closer so he can inhale the scent of his mate.

Ice, leather, amber and tea leaves—the smell of his _mate_ fills his nose.

“Bullshit,” he repeats, “you’re _mine_ alpha, and I’m _yours_.” He stares defiantly up into Bucky’s eyes and waits him out, watching as the fear and indecision leaves his eyes to be replaced with something softer and more fond.

“Yea? That right?” Bucky asks, sounding hopeful, “you gonna put your mark on me oma?”

Tony smirks and nods, stepping even closer, till they’re pressed chest to chest, “Damn right,” he agrees right before his lips meet Bucky’s, a sense of _home_ swelling within him.

He hears Steve chuckle and then there’s heat at his back and lips on his neck.

“Maybe we should take this inside before we give everyone an eyeful,” Steve suggests quietly, amusement in his deep voice.

Tony grins and grabs both of his alpha’s hands, tugging them along behind him as he goes, ordering everyone to clear out unless they want to be around for what’s coming.

He’s never seen the Avengers move so fast.

As for he and his alphas?

They aren’t going _anywhere_ until Tony is satisfied their bond has been reformed and solidified once more.

As the bedroom door shuts behind them and the scent of aroused alpha and omega fills the air, Tony keens happily—he’s home.

_Finally_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Tony and Bucky fall in love a little more each day and bond once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'ALL...I cannot describe to you how much this story has been a journey. It was just smut! It was only every supposed to be smut, and then it caught feelings and plot and now there's more! I sincerely hope you enjoy this chapter and this story. Your kudos, comments and bookmarks mean the absolute world to me, and I wish I could thank each and every one of you.

There are plenty of things Tony Stark has wanted in his life—for his father to love him, for long lasting peace, for a mate that would understand his need to be Iron Man, for a mate who would understand  _ him— _ but now, he finds himself wanting something  _ new.  _

He’s back from the past and his future holds his mates, but his bond has been broken with one of them, and it echoes inside him, makes him hurt like a hole has been scrapped out of his chest and left open and  _ raw _ and bleeding. 

The other Avengers have departed, gone their own ways to rest—well earned for all of them. 

And though the air is scented with anticipation and arousal, there’s plenty of unease and worry and sorrow alongside it. 

For that reason, when he shuts the bedroom door behind him and looks up to find his mates staring at him, he smiles tiredly and points to the bed. “I’m getting naked and so are you and we’re going to  _ sleep, _ ” he insists, because as much as he wants to reconnect with both of them, he’s just come off a heat longer and more intense than he’s had since his twenties.

Bucky and Steve both laugh softly, the air warming with their pleased scents. 

Tony makes good on his word and starts stripping, the last of his bruises from the brawl he and 40’s Steve had gotten in still fading from his skin and now visible. 

Both alphas make a low, displeased sound and he’s suddenly got hands on his hips and torso as he’s inspected and scented.

Steve’s blue eyes are fierce when he asks “Who did this?” 

Tony lifts a brow, “Remember that big bruiser outside the club? The one you decided needed his face rearranged?” he taunts, waiting till Steve flushes to laugh and nod, “don’t worry sunshine, I’m fine.”

Bucky kisses his neck from behind him, gentle and tentative and Tony cranes around to give him a brilliant encouraging smile. He tilts his chin in an obvious  _ come hither  _ look and is pleased when his alpha leans down and kisses him sweetly. 

Humming in pleasure, he lets his alphas kiss and touch for a few minutes before he shimmies away—much to their displeasure—and crawls into his bed. 

Wiggling his fingers in invitation, he grins and watches as they strip hastily, all military precision, and then slide under the covers with him. 

FRIDAY dims the lights and the windows black out, and it’s suddenly dark and warm and cozy and _perfect_. 

Steve curls up around Tony’s back and Bucky presses up against his front, long dark hair falling into his eyes as he stares intently at Tony, scent wary but hopeful.

It breaks Tony’s heart to see his alpha so scared—of him, of them, of being hurt. He pushes the hair out of Bucky’s face and slides his fingers through it, caressing the dip in his skull at the nape. 

He massages in soothing, gentle motions that work to ease the tension out and send Bucky’s lids sinking heavily. Smiling softly now, Bucky snuggles closer, presses his whole body against Tony’s as best as he can, so Tony lifts his top leg and makes room for Bucky between his thighs.

It could be sexual, but it’s not, it’s comfort, plain and simple. 

Bucky’s face tucks in against Tony’s throat, scenting him gently. 

Tony hums happily as Steve does the same behind him, their limbs a tangled mess. He’s deeply exhausted after battling Thanos and nearly dying and then time traveling to the past and having a mind numbingly good heat with two alphas. 

“Lights Fri,” he murmurs, fingers still tangled in Bucky’s long hair as he slips further into a warm, sleepy haze. 

They’ll have to cut it, he thinks. 

It makes his omega purr, the idea of taking care of his alpha. His alphas rumble happily in response to his purr, the scent of  _ homehappyfamily _ filling the air as they fall asleep together in their makeshift nest. 

When Tony wakes, FRIDAY silently displays the date and time and he’s pleasantly surprised to find that he’s slept for nearly 13 hours. His bed is missing Steve in it though, and he pouts for a moment before registering that Bucky is plastered to his side, hand splayed out over Tony’s chest where the reactor used to sit. 

The bedroom door opens silently, and Steve pauses in the doorway, hair damp and cheeks flushed from what must have been a post run shower. 

He’s holding a tray laden with coffee and food that Tony’s stomach growl eagerly and he makes grabby hand(his other is twined in Bucky’s hair and no, he’s not about to let go, even for coffee). 

Steve chuckles softly and carries it over, sets the tray by Tony’s hip and leans in for a minty kiss. 

“I love  _ you _ the most,” Tony murmurs playfully, conscientious of the alpha still sleeping beside him. 

Steve’s teeth flash brightly as he laughs silently and kisses Tony again. “You're just sayin that cus I brought you coffee,” he replies against Tony’s mouth. 

Tony hums thoughtfully and nips at his lower lip, “Maybe. We’ll have to see,” he says teasingly. 

Steve grins and gives him another kiss before pulling back to smile at Tony so softly it makes something in his belly quiver. “I’m gonna head back to the compound and help with the cleanup,” he whispers, “figured you’d want some one on one time,” he says with a sad little smile. 

He runs his fingers through Tony’s hair gently and sighs softly, “He needs you Tony, he needs someone to be kind to him. He’s been hurtin’ a long time. You’ll take care of him, won’t you oma?” he asks quietly.

Tony’s eyes burn and his throat is too tight for him to speak so he nods furiously and reaches out to pull Steve in for a kiss that’s desperate and bittersweet. He makes a soft noise as Steve licks gently into his mouth, panting softly when the other man pulls away, eyes sad as he strokes Tony’s cheek. 

“You’re a doll Tony, I dunno how we got so lucky to wind up your alphas,” he whispers, voice low and raw with emotion. 

Tears wet Tony’s lashes and he leans into the hand that’s cupping his cheek, scenting at Steve’s wrist where his bond mark is.

“We all got lucky,” he murmurs, “all of us.”

Steve nods and kisses him again, smiling this time when he pulls away. “There’s more food down in the oven for when sleepy head over there decides to get up,” he murmurs playfully, squeezing Tony’s thigh over the sheets before standing and smiling down at him. “I’ll be back this evening. We can all have dinner and watch a movie maybe?” 

Tony nods and smiles up at his alpha (and it’s a little odd to look  _ up  _ when he’d grown so used to Steve being smaller) “Love you,” he murmurs easily, throat going tight again when Steve looks surprised at the admission. 

They all might remember the deviation his trip to the past had caused, but the years of antagonism between them are still there too. Still painful, and not forgotten. 

Forgiven, certainly, but not forgotten.

Steve swallows hard, blue eyes bright and shiny as he nods and ducks his head, lips parting around a shaky exhale. He looks up at Tony through his sinfully long lashes, cheeks pink and whispers “I love you too,” back. 

Joy makes it hard to breathe, his chest too tight as he grins brilliantly up at Steve, vision going blurry. He swipes hastily at his eyes and blows Steve a kiss, making a shooing motion toward the door, both of them grinning and watching each other till the door closes between them again. 

“You two finally done bein’ sappy so I can sleep?”

Tony smirks and looks down to find Bucky watching him from behind a curtain of messy hair, eyes warm and sleepy but cautious. 

Rolling onto his side, Tony slides forward till Bucky is forced to throw his metal arm around his narrow hips, fingers skating up Tony’s spine as he studies Tony’s face. 

“You jealous Bucky Bear?” he teases gently, scenting a hint of it on the air. 

Bucky’s coppery skin blushes a beautiful shade of rose and Tony too easily recalls how it deepens when he’s inside Tony. A shiver of heat runs over his spine, but he ignores it in favor of pushing hair out of Bucky’s face and looking at him seriously. 

“You don’t have anything to be jealous of honey, you’re both mine,  _ my  _ alphas.”

Bucky makes a soft sound in his throat and nuzzles into the hand Tony’s got on his cheek, scenting at Tony’s wrist for comfort. 

“I hurt you,” he whispers rawly, eyes screwed shut. “I took your parents from you and then hurt you, almost  _ killed _ you—how could you ever want me to touch you again?” he asks, voice hitching as his shoulders shake with unshed tears. 

Tony’s heart cracks open in his chest and he pulls Bucky into his arms, kissing all over his face, exuding  _ loveforgivenesstrust  _ as hard as he can, tears wetting his lashes. 

“Oh no honey,  _ no _ ,” he croons, “you didn’t mean to hurt me, I know that. You were just trying to protect Steve, I get that. None of us should have fought like that, we all had baggage and trauma we were carrying around.”

He pets Bucky’s hair as the younger man tucks his face into the crook of Tony’s neck, seeking out the source of Tony’s soothing scent. 

“As for my family—that was Hydra baby. I don’t blame you for that, I never did. I was mad at Steve for lying to me about it, but never at you baby, I could never be mad at you for that,” he murmurs, pressing more kisses to Bucky’s hair and face. 

He feels the shudders running over Bucky’s body, feels the wet on his skin and his own tears finally fall free, salty and hot on his skin. 

They lay like that till Bucky’s tears stop and his breathing evens out again, soft and gentle on Tony’s skin. He smiles sadly, pleased his mate trusts him enough to fall asleep on him, but deeply hurt by how badly Bucky is wounded by their past. 

He drinks his now lukewarm coffee and eats the waffles with almond butter and honey and strawberries that Steve had made, squirming happily at the taste. 

Eventually Bucky rouses again, and Tony can scent the embarrassment on him, so he ignores it and cuddles his alpha, nosing at his neck, kissing softly over his skin till his scent evens out into something happier.

“How about breakfast and then a walk around the lake?” Tony murmurs, “It’s a nice day for it.” 

Bucky nods and follows Tony out of bed, pausing when Tony picks up Bucky’s shirt from yesterday and pulls it on. Tony can smell shock and alpha pride, but he says nothing, just lets his contentment fill the air. 

Bucky’s still staring when Tony’s finished pulling on his briefs and a pair of jeans, so he lifts a playful brow and smirks. 

“Omega got your tongue?” he teases, enjoying the way Bucky flushes and ducks his chin, hiding his face behind a curtain of long hair. 

Tony takes pity on the man and goes to him, gets up close and winds his arms around Bucky’s waist, encouraging the taller man to look at him with a soft sound of pleading. 

Bucky’s eyes are shy and sad and it hurts Tony to see his alpha still so unsure. 

“You like me wearing your clothes, hmm?” he prods, waiting for the hesitant nod from Bucky before he continues. “I like it too, I like smelling like you,” he murmurs, smiling when hope blooms in Bucky’s eyes. 

He telegraphs his movements, goes slow, and thrills when Bucky leans down hesitantly to meet him for a kiss. It’s by far the tamest of all the kisses they’ve shared, but it still feels  _ right,  _ like coming home.

Sighing happily, Tony pushes his brow into Bucky’s, smiling softly. He can feel Bucky shaking and tightens the hold he has around Bucky’s shoulders, scenting out  _ homefamilysafelove  _ till his alpha calms and his shivers stop. 

Bucky clears his throat, “Breakfast?” he asks hopefully, like a little boy asking for chocolate chip pancakes. 

Tony laughs softly and kisses him again, nodding as he pulls back, “Breakfast,” he agrees, taking Bucky’s hand into his and leads him downstairs. He points to a chair at the island, “Sit,” he orders, pleasantly surprised when Bucky does just that. 

He can feel his alpha’s eyes on him as he checks the oven and finds a plate of waffles, another of bacon, sausage and eggs beside it. He turns on the oven and pours Bucky a cup of coffee and another of juice, smiling happily when his alpha makes a low pleased sound. 

He’s never been much of a traditional omega, never felt the urge to cook and clean and simper like he sees so many omegas do for their alphas, but for Bucky he finds he  _ wants  _ to take care of the man. 

Maybe it’s how deeply damaged he is, how sad and lonely he seems. 

Whatever it is, Tony wants to wipe the scent of it from Bucky’s skin permanently. 

When the food is heated he carefully carries it over and then settles with a hip against the counter and watches his alpha eat. The second cup of coffee wakes him up fully and he pulls up FRIDAY’s display system, checking a few emails from SI and Pepper before turning to his monitoring of Peter.

He smiles as he reads the messages from the younger man, heart throbbing with love. If he would ever have had kids, he’d want one like Peter Parker. 

He’s already taken steps to leave half of SI to Peter along with half his fortune. Peter will get into any college and graduate school he wants on a scholarship paid for by Tony, all anonymous of course.

“That the spider kid?” Bucky asks around a bite of food, and when Tony looks over at him, Bucky is staring at the selfie of Peter in his Spiderman suit making a peace sign. 

Tony nods, “It is indeed.”

Bucky looks thoughtful for a moment and then nods, “Reminds me a bit of Stevie when he was younger,” he murmurs, “standin up for the little guy, always pickin a fight with a bully.” He laughs softly and Tony smiles at the sound, heart clenching at how it makes Bucky’s eyes wrinkle at the edges. 

“That sounds familiar, yea,” he agrees, turning back to gaze fondly at Peter. “He’s a good kid.”

Bucky makes a noise and continues eating, leaving Tony to finish his response to the texts the kid had sent. By the time he finishes that, Bucky has cleaned his plates and is looking more wide awake. 

When Tony tries to clean up however, Bucky shakes his head and carries his dishes to the sink, “I got it doll, you took care of me this mornin’, lemme do a little for you,” he murmurs, smiling softly when Tony looks surprised. 

Once the dishes are cleaned they put on shoes and walk out into the late morning sunlight, the air fresh and clean when Tony inhales happily. 

He takes Bucky’s hand, smiling encouragingly when the alpha looks wary and begins leading him down the path that leads through the woods and around the lake.

They won’t go the whole way around, it’s more than ten miles and Tony’s too tired for that today. Even with the rest he’d gotten he’s still tired—and it’s no wonder. At fifty two he’d had an intense heat just days after a battle for his life, had been weakened badly by the use of the gauntlet and then time traveled. 

It’s warm out and he’s glad that he’d grabbed Bucky’s T-shirt to wear, even if it is black. 

They don’t talk as they walk, but Bucky doesn’t let go of his hand and his scent changes to something warm and piney and happy and Tony smirks internally—he’d suspected this was exactly what his alpha needed. 

It’s late September but it’s still hot, so when his shirt starts sticking to his back he tugs Bucky’s hand and leads him to the lake’s edge. It’s rocky here so it’s easy to find a spot to strip and keep his clothes dry. 

When he stands up from pulling his jeans off, he finds Bucky eyeing him, wary arousal on the air and interest in his eyes. Tony grins sharply and walks backwards carefully, peeling his briefs down slowly, “C’mon Alpha, come and get me,” he urges, carefully stepping out of his briefs and then throws them at Bucky’s face. 

When he turns around he hears Bucky make a choked noise and hurries into the cool water, gasping at the temperature difference on his hot and sweaty skin. 

He pushes out till his toes barely skim the sandy bottom of the lake and then turns around to watch Bucky strip. He frowns faintly when Bucky removes his shirt, muscles rippling under taut skin. He’d thought Bucky had looked thinner, and now that he sees him in the sunlight it’s painfully obvious that his time in Wakanda had cut away any excess weight on his frame. 

He’s going to have to make sure his alpha eats, because Tony does  _ not _ like that he can very nearly count Bucky’s ribs from here. 

Water splashes and he focuses, watching as Bucky wades into the water, gaze focused and intent on Tony. It’s not quite predatory, but it does have an element of the hunt to it and it makes Tony want to sprint through the woods naked until his alpha catches him and claims him. 

The idea is exciting, but more exciting is Bucky closing in on him and catching him around the waist, pulling him close and nuzzling at his neck. It takes him by surprise—Bucky’s been reluctant to touch him without prior consent—unless he’s sleeping.  _ Then _ he’s wrapped around Tony like a snake. 

It makes something clench in his chest when Bucky lifts him easily, like he weighs nothing at all, allowing him to wrap his legs around Bucky’s narrow waist. Bucky’s lips press against his wet skin and Tony shivers at the feel of his warm mouth on his cool skin. 

“Thank you for takin care of me,” Bucky murmurs, voice low in Tony’s ear, “I don’t deserve a sweet thing like you.”

And that, the way he says it, so matter of factly, just breaks Tony’s heart. 

Gently he pushes Bucky’s face away from his neck and holds it in place so he can stare intently into Bucky’s sad eyes. “Please don’t say that anymore,” he murmurs, “I chose who I love and who I want to be with and I’ve chosen you before and I chose you now, again.”

Bucky’s eyes shine and he looks uncertain still, but he nods minutely. “I’m sorry Tony, I’m...still...I’m broken I think,” he whispers, grief and heartache leaking out in his scent. 

Tony can’t help but kiss him, a little desperate, needing to make sure Bucky feels his love. “We’re all broken baby,” he whispers against Bucky’s lips, “nobody is whole anymore.”

Bucky kisses him then, lips firm and hungry against Tony’s, hands holding him close, keeping them warm together in the cool water that surrounds them. 

It starts desperate, as if Bucky’s scared Tony will disappear if he stops kissing him, and then slows, growing gentle and heated and delicious. Bucky’s hand in his hair cradles him, as though he’s precious, breakable,  _ loved _ . 

Eventually they slow until their kisses are nothing more than their mouths pressed together as they breathe, eyes closed and limbs twined together. When Tony shivers, Bucky tightens his grip and starts making his way back toward the shoreline, laughing softly when Tony makes a disgruntled sound at being carried. 

They sit in the sun till their skin dries, the grass warm beneath their bodies, drinking in each other’s scents, tinged with sun and wind and joy. It’s refreshing, just being in silence with another person, and it’s not something Tony’s had a lot of in his life. 

The comfort of being safe with a person, the vulnerability of being quiet and together, it’s new and thrilling and a tiny bit scary. 

When Tony cracks an eyelid, he’s amused to see Bucky’s chest rising and falling slowly, ribs expanding on every inhale. It’s fascinating to watch, to see the way his muscles flex, how skin shifts, the minute twitches in his fingers as he dozes in the sunlight. 

His skin is paler than Tony remembers it being in the 40’s, taut in a way it wasn’t then. He’s grown older, the baby fat of his early twenties gone, given way to sinewy muscle. The serum must not heal the deepest of wounds because his shoulder is still covered in them and they mark his skin in other places too. 

Tony wants to touch so badly, but he doesn’t want to disturb Bucky’s well earned rest, so he stays still, watching his alpha sleep, and eventually he too slips into a hazy doze under the sun. 

When he wakes, he’s tucked against Bucky’s side, arm slung over Bucky’s waist. A hand plays with his hair, long fingers pushing through it, gentle and soothing. 

“Time issit?” he slurs sleepily, groaning when he feels how his back is protesting sleeping on the ground. 

“Past noon, probably a little after one,” Bucky replies. 

Tony nods and closes his eyes again, nuzzles further into Bucky and hums happily when his alpha exudes  _ contenthomelovesafety _ in return. He doesn’t sleep exactly, but he’s not really awake either. 

The hand in his hair keeps him grounded, softens his spine and makes him purr. He happily noses into Bucky’s throat and scents him, tasting the joy on Bucky’s skin when he licks it gently. 

A breath later Bucky is rolling Tony onto his back and burying his hands in Tony’s hair, kissing him with a hunger that makes Tony shiver. Tony gasps in surprise and then moans as Bucky rolls their hips together—he’s not hard, but Bucky is. 

He arches his neck back and moans softly as Bucky kisses along his throat, whining when he licks and bites and leaves marks that throb. 

“You smell like sunshine baby,” Bucky murmurs against his throat, “smell like  _ home _ .” Tony shivers when Bucky licks over his bonding mark, pleasure curling down his spine. 

Tony winds his arms around Bucky and pulls him closer, makes soft happy omega noises that urge on his alpha. “ _ Tony, _ ” Bucky sighs, nosing at where his bonding bite would go, “ _ baby _ .”

Tony arches his neck in offer and Bucky pauses, kisses his bond mark and shakes his head. “I’m not—” he licks his lips and Tony shivers when they brush over his skin. “M’ not ready, ‘s that ok?”

Something in Tony’s chest goes painfully tight and he nods, tugging on Bucky till he shifts and comes up to kiss Tony. “That’s fine baby, you’re still my alpha,” he reassures Bucky between kisses, fingers running through Bucky’s too long hair. 

Bucky makes a sound at that, grinds his hips down and Tony smirks faintly, traces his fingers over the warm skin of Bucky’s back. “You wanna come on me and mark me as yours alpha?” he murmurs, laughing softly when Bucky growls and kisses him, hard. 

“Okay baby, I got you,” Tony promises before working a hand between them to wrap his fingers tightly around Bucky’s cock. He gives it a squeeze and Bucky’s body jolts above him, a low cry falling from his lips. 

Bucky is up on one elbow, long strands of hair falling into his face, so Tony brushes it back and watches that beautiful face as he strokes slowly, firmly, just like he remembers Bucky likes. 

Bucky has the prettiest dark lashes and they flutter beautifully when Tony twists his wrist just below the head of his cock. His lower lip is bitten and wet, soft cries of pleasure falling from his mouth as Tony strokes and then rubs circles on the head of his leaking cock with his thumb. 

Fine lines wrinkle around Bucky’s eyes and between his brows as he moans, hips rolling so he can fuck his cock into Tony’s hand, his heavy breathing turning into hitching gasps as Tony grips him more firmly and works him harder. 

They kiss desperately, recklessly, and Tony’s lips slide away to press against the corner of Bucky’s mouth, along his jaw and under his chin. “Sound so good alpha, you feel good?” he asks, whispering the words against Bucky’s skin. 

Bucky makes a high pitched noise and nods, “Y-yea,” he agrees shakily, “feels  _ so  _ good oma, makin me…” he licks his lips and and whines, drops his head onto Tony’s shoulder with a moan, “makin me feel so good,  _ my _ oma.”

Tony keens softly at the possession in Bucky’s words and jerks him off harder, pride rolling through him when Bucky shouts and flails at the building stimulation in his body. Pre cum drips off Tony’s knuckles and onto his belly, the slick slide of his hand growing faster. 

“ _ Oma... _ oma,  _ please, _ ” Bucky begs with a sob, arms trembling where he’s holding himself up. 

“Come for me alpha, come for your oma,” Tony murmurs, pleasure warming his belly as Bucky shudders and fucks into his hand desperately. “That’s it, come for me Bucky, c’mon alpha, for me.”

Bucky’s eyes screw shut as he cries out loudly, body going rigid as he spills over Tony’s knuckles and down onto his abdomen. Tony croons praise and strokes him until Bucky is whining and shaking and then pulls his messy fingers away to rub the cum on them into his bond mark. 

Bucky watches him through dazed eyes, groaning when Tony rubs the rest of his cum into his belly and along the grooves of his hips where more scent markers are. 

Eventually Bucky’s arms give out and he collapses on top of Tony, kissing and cuddling him happily. He exudes peace and adoration and comfort, so Tony holds him close till his stomach starts rumbling and then pokes Bucky till he rouses out of his half doze and reminds him they need to head back. 

They wash most of the mess off their skin and redress, walking back to the cabin slowly, hand in hand while the sun shines and the birds sing. 

After lunch Tony lures Bucky out onto the back porch and pulls his alpha down onto the lounge chair with him, cradles him between his thighs and up against his chest while he reads a Michael Crichton novel out loud. 

Occasionally Bucky stops to ask questions about the science or an event that’s referenced that he doesn’t remember, but for the most part, he sits in silence, gaze fixed out on the lake while Tony reads. 

His scent is warm and happy, laced with pine and sunshine and it mingles pleasantly with Tony’s. 

When Steve comes home, sweaty and dirty after a long day of moving rubble it’s to the scent of roasting chicken and happy mates. He finds them in the kitchen, Tony sitting on the counter while Bucky tells him a story about Steve as a kid, both of them laughing riotously. 

Tony makes grabby hands at Steve when he spots him and purrs happily when the large alpha comes over and kisses him sweetly. “Welcome home honey,” Tony jokes, “dinner is almost ready. Why don’t you wash up?” he suggests with a nip at Steve’s jaw. 

“I’m not sure I should leave you alone if Buck’s gonna be telling stories bout me,” Steve murmurs, throwing a playful look at Bucky over his shoulder. 

Bucky grins and sips his wine, “Not my fault you were a goddamn terror,” he replies with a low laugh. 

“The hell I was! You were right there with me!” Steve protests, “you remember that time when you threw a lit firecracker at the police?” he demands, grinning widely. 

Bucky laughs loudly, shoulders shaking and Tony feels a surge of delight at the pure joy in Bucky’s scent. 

“Whatever punk, go get cleaned up, you  _ stink _ ,” he teases, wrinkling his nose at Steve. 

Steve flips him off and steals a kiss from Tony before leaving them for a well earned shower. Tony is still smiling when Bucky sets aside his wine and steps between Tony’s legs, a hungry look in his eyes. 

He kisses Tony like he means it, like he’s claiming him, and it sends a shudder over Tony’s spine. He pushes his fingers through Bucky’s long hair and tugs on it, purring when Bucky rumbles deep in his chest in response. 

Bucky kisses down his throat and settles in on the bond mark, another rumble coming from his chest when Tony melts into him. Tony knows the scent of Bucky’s cum is still on his skin, but that doesn’t stop Bucky from scenting him further, marking him and claiming him. 

By the time Steve comes downstairs, Tony’s half hard in his jeans and Bucky is smirking at him from across the kitchen, sipping on white wine and looking like the cat that got the canary. 

Steve inhales and then grins, comes over to Tony and nuzzles in where Bucky’s been marking him and laughs lowly. “You two had a good day, huh?” he teases, kissing his bond bite on Tony’s neck. 

Tony preens at the attention and grins, “We did. Now if one of you two handsome alphas could set the table, dinner is ready,” he instructs, pushing Steve away before he can really settle in to scenting Tony. 

Steve makes a low wounded sound, but it’s playful and teasing and Tony just rolls his eyes at the dramatics. 

And people say  _ omegas  _ are dramatic. 

They eat, clustered together at one end of the table, talking about the progress Steve and the construction crew have made at the compound and what’s to come in the following days. 

Bucky and Tony both agree to help as well, though Tony will be more on the  _ paying for everything  _ side than the helping with construction side. 

He’s 52 and tired, he knows where his time and energy can be best utilized by now. 

He’s shooed from the kitchen so Steve and Bucky can do the dishes (and talk about him, he suspects), so he goes to the living room and has FRIDAY start the projector for the TV and picks out a movie he thinks all of them will enjoy. 

Nothing about war, nothing about Nazis, no rom coms where an alpha “completes” an omega….it narrows down the list considerably.

Eventually he settles on Stardust and queues it up before shuffling barefoot back into the kitchen to poke and prod his alphas to hurry. They settle into the couch, Bucky on one side of him and Steve on the other, surrounding him in  _ happycozywarm  _ scent. 

Predictably, he falls asleep halfway through and only wakes up when Bucky carries him upstairs. Large hands strip him and guide him into bed and then he’s surrounded by hot, naked alpha and purring as he falls asleep. 

* * *

“You didn’t bond yesterday,” Steve murmurs to Bucky as they move rubble, just the two of them along the edge of the compound. 

Bucky’s shoulder twitches and then he nods, glances back at Steve, eyes wary, scent cautious. “We aren’t ready yet,” he tells Steve, “ _ I’m  _ not ready yet,” he admits. 

Steven frowns softly, “Why not? You know he loves you,” he says, brushing concrete dust off his hands before reaching for a bottle of water to wash the taste of it out of his mouth. 

Bucky catches the bottle of water he tosses to him with one hand and settles back against a large chunk of debris, a thoughtful look on his face. 

“Does he though?” Bucky says quietly, eyes cast low. “It was obvious when we mated him that he was already in love with you—I was just lucky enough to be there with you I guess.”

Steve frowns, “Buck, you’re not a second choice for Tony—he doesn’t see you as an accidental mating, he sees you as his  _ partner _ .” 

Bucky shrugs, “Maybe. But we’re taking it slow Stevie. He doesn’t know much bout me and I only want him to choose me if it’s an informed decision.” He lifts his sad grey eyes and smiles softly at Steve, “You got a lot of years with him already punk, me’n him are just getting started.”

Steve nods because well, it makes sense. 

He lets the issue drop and they turn back to work, hauling rubble till the sun sinks low in the sky. They wash up and ride back to the cabin in Steve’s new truck, windows down to let the late summer breeze wash over them.

Tony is in his workshop when they get home so Steve orders some pizza and joins Bucky in the shower, trading lazy, tired kisses while they wash each other. 

It’s new for them, this freedom to touch, to be as they are—the 40’s hadn’t looked kindly on same sex relationships let alone same secondary gender ones. 

He takes comfort in the way Bucky hugs him, of how safe he always is with his best friend, how he’s known and loved for all his faults and virtues and mistakes. 

They’ll always be a team, always have been. 

Till the end of the line. 

After they dry off and dress in sweats and tshirts, Steve sends Bucky to roust Tony from his workshop, grinning when Bucky comes back with a very disgruntled Tony slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

“—rude, caveman behavior is just uncalled for James! I am perfectly capable of walking on my own!”

Bucky grins and slaps Tony’s ass, winking at Steve. “Course you are doll, you were just takin an awfully long time to get those pretty stems movin. Thought I’d lend a hand.”

He sets Tony down, grinning softly, and it makes Steve’s heart clench to see how much Bucky loves Tony, even if he’s unwilling to admit it quite yet. 

Tony grins at Bucky but tries to hide it behind a faux offended look, and only partially succeeds. 

“You’re a beast Bucky Barnes and my delicate omega sensibilities are  _ offended, _ ” he says with a haughty sniff, eyes bright and playful. 

Bucky laughs and swats his ass, “Get inside and eat something  _ trouble _ , be a good omega.”

Tony saunters backwards and flips them both off, “You’re both terrible alphas and I’m leaving you,” he warns, laughing. 

Steve and Bucky share a fond smile as Tony enters the house, hips swaying sassily, scent happy and pleased. Steve throws his arm around Bucky’s shoulders and tugs him along, heading inside after their mate. 

He’s not quite sure how they wound up so lucky, he and Bucky, just two punk kids from Brooklyn somehow getting to love someone as amazing and generous and sweet as Tony. 

He thinks about it all through dinner and the tv show Tony puts on that has Bucky laughing loudly—a sound he’s surprised and pleased to hear. Slipping his arm around the back of the couch, he slides his fingers over the nape of Bucky’s neck and gently caresses, massages the tense muscle there. 

He feels it when Bucky shudders, pleased when he goes limp and pliant under his hand. Tony looks away from the show at the sudden surge in pleased alpha scent, brows rising when he sees Bucky’s eyes half closed as he leans into Steve’s touch. 

Steve smirks at him and tightens his grip, heat curling through his belly at the interest in Tony’s eyes and the moan that Bucky lets out. The air fills quickly with the scent of arousal, all of their scents blending into something that makes his spine melt. 

“Feels good huh Buck?” he murmurs, smirking when Bucky nods loosely and groans, body slack with the pleasure. “Yea, feels nice,” he croons, “bet it’d feel even better if Tony was touching you too, huh?” 

At this Bucky makes a soft needy sound and nods, and Steve doesn’t even have to tell Tony what to do because a moment later he’s kissing Bucky languidly, hand shoving under Bucky’s shirt to palm at his belly. 

Steve shifts from massaging to lean and kiss at Bucky’s throat, feeling it vibrate under his lips when Bucky moans. Grinning, he mouths along the expanse of Bucky’s neck, sucking marks and nipping while Tony kisses Bucky senseless. 

Bucky’s stubble makes his skin burn and his lips tingle, but it doesn’t deter him from working his way down Bucky’s throat, slowly working his friend and mate into a heated bliss. 

He mouths at Bucky’s neck softly then, whispering praise for Bucky and for Tony, inhaling the warm caramel scent of their arousal as his mates kiss and touch each other. 

Bucky’s sweats are tented and have a dark wet patch on them and when Steve palms his cock Bucky makes a raw, broken sound into Tony’s mouth. 

He keeps at it, licking and sucking at Bucky’s skin as he caresses Bucky’s cock through his sweats, his own heavy and hot and thick against his belly. Bucky’s moans grow louder, more desperate and then Tony’s sliding away and onto the floor, dark eyes nearly pitch black as he pushes his way between Bucky’s thighs. 

Steve nuzzles at Bucky’s jaw, “We’re gonna take care of you Buck, gonna make you feel so good,” he promises, tilting his chin down to smile at Tony, “Aren’t we baby?” 

Tony nods eagerly and rubs his hands up Bucky’s thighs soothingly, “So good honey, you just hold on and we’ll make you feel amazing,” he murmurs, clever fingers already slipping beneath the waistband of Bucky’s sweats. 

He tugs and Bucky arches his hips, breathing unevenly, eyes hooded with desire as he watches Tony. Steve kisses his jaw and over to his mouth, humming in pleasure when Bucky opens up eagerly, gasping into Steve’s mouth. 

Bucky shudders sharply against him, a whine in his throat and Steve breaks away to look down, smirking when he sees Tony licking and sucking at Bucky’s sac. Bucky whines and arches his hips, shaking with pleasure so Steve takes the opportunity to push Bucky’s shirt up and out of the way so he can mouth at his nipples. 

“Oh  _ Christ  _ Stevie,” Bucky moans, voice quaking. “I’m—I’m gonna—”

Steve hums and nips at the pink nipple he’s been toying with, doing it again when Bucky cries out and arches into it. “Gonna be good and let us take care of you, huh Buck?” he murmurs, sucking on the warm skin of Bucky’s nipple till he’s crying out and gasping for breath. 

Steve pulls off with a wet pop and pinches it, watching as Tony licks up the underside of Bucky’s cock and then around the head, like it’s a lollipop. Bucky shudders and his hips jerk at the sensation, his moans growing louder when Tony focuses on the sensitive spot just at the crown of his cock. 

Sucking a mark onto the hinge of Bucky’s jaw, he pinches at Bucky’s nipple again and again, rolling it and tugging on it as Bucky whimpers and writhes, shudders running over his lean frame. 

Tony, when Steve looks down, is sucking the head of Bucky’s cock, his hand down his own pants, very obviously jerking himself off. 

Groaning, Steve nudges at Bucky’s jaw, “Look Buck, look,” he murmurs, pinching his nipple hard to get his attention and then points down at Tony. Bucky’s mouth drops open on a long, low moan, eyes dark and hooded as he watches Tony’s head bob up and down. 

The room is warm and the air close, damp and filled with wet sounds from Tony’s mouth. It smells like sex and slick and Steve rumbles happily, returning his attention to Bucky. 

He kisses him as he pinches both nipples, swallowing down the breathy gasp Bucky lets out, teasing at his upper lip with a flick of his tongue. 

The scent of slick grows stronger and when Steve breaks away to look, he growls at the sight of Tony fingering himself while he sucks Bucky's cock. Tony’s eyes flick up to him, hot and self satisfied when he sees the way Steve is looking at him. 

He surprises Steve then by pulling his fingers out and reaching between  _ Bucky’s  _ legs, and it registers what he’s going to do just seconds before Bucky jolts and cries out, spine arching at the slick finger Tony’s pushed inside him. 

Steve’s eyes go wide in aroused shock as Tony works a second finger in, still sucking on Bucky’s cock. Bucky’s cries are high and desperate and he flails, latching onto Steve, pulling him in for a sloppy kiss. 

Steve pushes Bucky’s hair back from his face and dots kisses all over, “That’s it Buck, let our beautiful oma make you feel good,” he croons. “You’re so gorgeous doll, listen to those pretty sounds.”

Bucky sobs and fists a hand in Tony’s hair, not guiding him, just holding on for dear life Steve thinks. His mouth is open and wet around his cries and Steve kisses at his slack mouth, one large hand cupping his neck and holding him close. 

The other hand goes back and resumes pinching and rolling Bucky’s nipples, the added stimulation making his mate sob and cling harder to Steve, fingers digging into Steve’s bicep, and for once Bucky is too far gone to care about touching with his metal hand. 

His hot breath washes over Steve’s face as incoherent pleas fall from his lips, Tony and Steve’s names repeated over and over again on sobbing breaths. Steve’s lips slide against Bucky’s as he moans, wincing at the bite of metal on his skin, lashes fluttering so he can watch Bucky’s face. 

“God Buck, you’re so  _ gorgeous _ ,” he whispers, pinching lightly at Bucky’s nipple to watch the way his skin shivers in the warm light of the fading sunset. Bucky’s dark lashes fly open wide and his mouth goes slack around a wounded sound and Steve guesses that Tony’s found his prostate. 

Bucky’s frantic gaze finds his and latches on, whimpers falling from his lips. Steve glances away and looks down just in time to see Tony take Bucky’s cock deeper into his throat and swallow. He watches with interest, his own cock leaking against his belly, as Tony does it again and then pulls off, panting softly. 

“C’mon baby, come down my throat,” Tony pants, pressing kisses along Bucky’s thighs, “come for me my alpha.”

Bucky whines and arches as Steve kisses his jaw, flexing his fingers in Tony’s hair, gasping as Tony sucks at the head of his cock, breath sobbing in his chest. “That’s it Buck, come for us, come for your oma,” Steve croons into Bucky’s ear.

Tony crooks his fingers just so and swallows down Bucky’s cock while Steve kisses him and pinches a nipple and then—Bucky shatters. 

He goes rigid in Steve’s grasp, eyes wide and unseeing as his spine arches. His throat works out a raw cry of ecstatic agony before choking off into silence as Tony sucks him dry. 

When Bucky is writhing and letting out broken whines, Tony pulls off with a low gasp and rests his head on Bucky’s thigh, their uneven breathing the only sounds in the room. 

Bucky’s fingers are slack in Tony’s hair, petting weakly as he shivers, eyes closed as he struggles to regain composure. Steve gently moves Bucky’s head into the crook of his neck and lets him scent how proud Steve is, the cinnamon scent of alpha pride on his skin. 

They sit like that for a long time—till Steve’s erection fades and both Bucky and Tony look half asleep. 

With a soft, fond grin, he nudges Tony and offers his hand to help him up off the floor—he knows Tony’s knees must be aching by now. They redress Bucky and stumble up the stairs together in a mess of limbs and yawns. 

Contentment fills the air as Steve strips his mates down to their skin and guides them into bed before joining them, a rumble of  _ happylovehomefamily  _ coming from his chest. 

Tony is sandwiched between them with Bucky at his back to scent him and Steve at his front, keeping him warm and safe. Steve slides a hand over Tony’s waist and smiles sleepily when Bucky lays his hand on Steve’s arm, squeezing gently before resting easy. 

Steve sleeps, at peace for the first time in years. 

* * *

Bucky huffs out a frustrated breath and pushes his hair back once again; the strands that have escaped from his bun have been in his eyes all day and it’s slowly driving him crazy. 

“Looks like you need a trim Buck.”

“Yea yea,” he sighs, standing straight from where he had been moving rubble alongside Steve. 

“You’re starting to look like a mountain man,” Steve teases, laughing when Bucky flips him off. “Maybe you can ask Tony to help,” Steve suggests as they shift rock out of the way. 

When Bucky shoots him a look, Steve grins, “C’mon, you’ve seen his beard—he’s meticulous. Bet you walk out lookin like a million bucks!”

The thing is, Steve isn’t wrong. His hair  _ has _ been too long for a while now—he doesn’t feel like himself like this, he feels like it’s a shadow of the Soldier, haunting him, staring back at him every time he looks in the mirror. 

He thinks about it a lot as he works alongside Steve, thinks about what he’d want instead of this mess of long hair. Maybe something like he’d had in the 40’s—he’s seen men sporting something similar recently where it’s long on top and short on the sides and he thinks maybe he’d like that. 

Steve chatters on about making changes to the compound and how he wants to talk to Tony about them when they get home and Bucky just nods, because right now his mind is a million miles away. 

His life has never been what you would call  _ conventional _ , but these days, with Tony and Steve, his life almost feels...normal. Or what approaches normal for people like them anyway. 

It’s...weird, waking up with Tony and Steve and knowing that he’s safe, that he doesn’t have to worry about Hydra or SHIELD or any of it. He still scans the rooms he enters and keeps an eye on the exits because that’s a habit too deeply ingrained for him to stop. 

He doesn’t mind that habit so much though, because  _ now _ he does it to make sure his mates are safe, to ensure that his little family is safe—and that’s not something he thought he’d  _ ever _ have since he broke free from Hydra’s brainwashing. 

He’s broken out of his reverie as they’re packing up and heading home for the day when he hears a pitiful mewling coming from under Steve’s truck. Brow furrowing, he crouches down and is greeted with a pair of bright blue eyes and another meow. 

“Bucky? Whatcha doin?”

He looks over his shoulder at Steve and motions toward the truck, “There’s a kitten,” he explains, “gimme one of them tuna pouches you love so much.”

“I don’t  _ love  _ them, they’re just a good source of protein,” Steve mutters, digging one out of the center console of the truck. He tosses it to Bucky who opens it and holds it out to the kitten, smirking when the little thing meows and takes a cautious step forward. 

He pulls it back a little and the kitten steps forward. Over and over again he does this till the kitten is in his lap and eating tuna out of his palm, purring loudly. 

He looks it over quickly, noting the matted fur that might be grey or black or white, depending on what patch you look at. It’s too skinny by far, he can feel the delicate ribs under his fingers and smiles at the way they vibrate as the little thing purrs. 

A quick check reveals it to be a girl, and by the time she’s finished the packet of tuna her pretty eyes are drooping heavily. Bucky shrugs off his flannel and cocoons her in its warmth, holding her against his chest. 

Steve doesn’t say much about it, other than to offer a finger for the cat to sniff, grinning when she licks him and then nuzzles into Bucky's chest and goes to sleep. 

The ride home is quiet, Steve plays jazz and hums along while Bucky strokes the kitten’s tiny brow with his fingers and closes his eyes. It feels good to take care of something, to use his hands for kindness instead of cruelty.

Steve stops at a local pet store and comes back out half an hour later with more stuff than Bucky had thought one tiny kitten could need. When he lifts a brow at the bag filled with cat toys, Steve just shoots him a look that screams  _ shut up.  _

Chuckling softly, he closes his eyes again and lets himself relax. He’s half asleep when they get home, and the kitten makes a disgruntled sound when he slides out of the truck, but remains in her cocoon, eyes sleepy as she peers outwards.

Tony meets them on the front porch, brows rising as he takes in what must be an amusing sight—two burly alphas laden down with cat toys, food, litter, and a very tiny kitten. 

“And who is this?” Tony asks, stepping down off the porch, barefoot onto the grass, meeting him halfway. Bucky shifts so Tony can offer the kitten his fingers, breath locked in his chest while she sniffs him and then exhales when she bumps her head against his fingers and purrs. 

Tony beams at him, “I think she likes me!” 

Bucky laughs softly and leans in for a kiss, “Of course she does doll,” he murmurs, kissing Tony again, laughing and breaking apart when the kitten mews angrily at being squished between them. 

Tony pets her gently and looks thoughtful, “She needs a bath,” he murmurs, glance flicking to where Steve is carrying cat supplies into the house. 

“Figured as much,” Bucky agrees, “would you help me?” he asks softly, “I don’t want to hurt her accidentally,” he says, metal fingers clenching gently against where he’s cradling the kitten. Tony’s gaze flits down to it and then back up to his face, eyes warm and soft as he nods and leans in for another kiss. 

“Course babe,” he whispers, reaching down to lace his fingers with Bucky’s free hand, “C’mon, lets go clean our fur baby up,” he murmurs with a laugh, tugging on Bucky’s hand gently. 

It takes a few washes, but they discover that their new family member is snowy white. Bucky watches how carefully Tony handles her, how he croons sweetly and keeps her calm and suddenly, he wants nothing more than to see his mate doing that with  _ their _ baby. 

It scares him, thinking of babies and softness and vulnerability, but some part of him he’d thought long lost  _ aches  _ at the idea of  _ family _ . What they have now is enough, but Christ almighty, does he want that someday. 

Bucky watches the kitten eat and uses one of the  _ many _ toys Steve had bought to keep her entertained, pondering on a name for her while Tony and Steve make dinner and talk and dance around the kitchen. 

After, they curl up in bed together and Bucky’s pleasantly surprised to see the kitten lay down on Tony’s chest and start purring and kneading him. Tony turns too bright eyes on Bucky and Steve and swallows hard, voice low and raw when he speaks. 

“I never had a pet. Howard said—” he chokes off and pets the kitten gently, as if to calm himself and Bucky leans over and kisses his cheek, scenting him with  _ comfortassuranceadoration  _ until Tony whispers a wet  _ thank you _ and continues. 

“Howard said pets were a waste of time. That I didn’t need one because I was going to be an alpha, and only soft omegas needed dolls and kittens and puppies.” 

Steve rumbles unhappily and reaches a big hand across Bucky’s hip to caress Tony’s cheek, “He was wrong baby, you’re the strongest, smartest, sweetest person I know, omega or otherwise, and you deserved much better than Howard ever gave you.”

Tony’s eyes blink rapidly and a tear falls, but he’s smiling shakily at them both. “Yea, I uh, I see that now.” He turns his shaky smile on Bucky, “Did you think of a name yet?” 

Bucky nods and strokes the kitten’s brow as she purrs, eyes closed in pleasure. “Her name is Alpine,” he murmurs, looking hesitantly to Tony for approval. 

Tony beams at him and leans in for a kiss, smiling into it, and Bucky can scent his happiness, his contentment and it thrills through him that  _ he  _ did that. 

They fall asleep in a pile of tangled limbs, with Alpine stretched out across Bucky’s chest, one of her paws on Tony’s shoulder and her long sleek tail brushing Steve’s arm. 

The scent of their house changes that night—it smells like happy family and  _ home.  _

* * *

Steve gets called away on a mission a few days later with Natasha—apparently Ross hadn’t learned his lesson on trying to tamper with the serum and was trying once again to create super soldiers. The UN and the World Security Council had lost tolerance for the man and put out a warrant on his head. 

Steve and Nat had volunteered quickly for the chance to hunt the man down, leaving Tony and Bucky at home with Alpine. Bucky isn’t at all surprised when Tony starts showing him plans to build an elaborate cat tree system that would wind through the whole house, and he’s even  _ less _ surprised when Tony starts construction and ropes him in to help. 

_ What else are you gonna do with all those muscles, huh alpha? Come help your oma. _

Tony grins and teases at him and it makes Bucky’s skin feel warm, and he realizes he’s  _ blushing _ at his oma flirting with him—which only makes it deepen, to his embarrassment. 

Tony laughs at his shyness and kisses his cheek and then spends the day ordering him around as they construct the most elaborate cat tree ever. Sawdust and metal sparks fill the air as they saw and hammer and weld—poor Alpine gone into hiding at all the commotion. 

Tony reheats dinner and piles Bucky’s plate high and gives him a serious, pointed look, “Eat all of it,” he orders, “you’re too skinny.”

When Bucky tries to object he finds himself with a lap full of omega. Tony’s eyes are wide and pleading as he presses his fingers into Bucky’s sides, “Please alpha? Let me take care of you,” he murmurs, leaning in to scent Bucky and kiss his throat. 

His lashes flutter and he inhales the scent of metal and wood and sweat on Tony’s skin and feels his gut warm with arousal. Swallowing thickly he nods and laces his fingers through Tony’s hair, humming when those soft lips of his find Bucky’s bonding gland. 

“Yea, sure doll, whatever you want,” he promises, heat melting down his spine as Tony presses wet kisses and soft nips on his bonding gland. When Tony finally pulls away they both scent of arousal, and Tony’s pupils are big, eyes hungry on Bucky. 

To his delight, Tony stays on his lap and eats from his plate, hand feeding Bucky bites of chicken and spears of green beans, trading lazy kisses between bites. Tony hums in pleasure when Bucky reciprocates and feeds him, his eyes dark and hot as he licks Bucky’s fingers clean. 

Bucky barely notices that they’ve finished eating, but he does notice that they’re both half hard and scenting heavily of  _ wantlustneed. _ Tony shifts to straddle his lap and kisses him, arms wound round his shoulders and hands buried in Bucky’s sweaty damp hair. 

Bucky moans into it and slides his hands beneath Tony’s Black Sabbath shirt, palms pressing into his damp skin, pulling him even closer. They rock gently into each other, skin heating as they moan and chase each other’s mouths. It’s hot and heavy in a way Bucky hasn’t experienced since he was a punk kid in the 40’s, and it’s all the better now because it’s Tony.

They startle apart when Alpine jumps onto the table with a reproachful meow, eyeing them balefully as she sniffs their empty plates. Tony buries his face in the crook of Bucky’s neck, shoulders shaking as he laughs and Bucky grins, rubbing over his back gently with large soothing motions. 

“Guess that’s our cue to get back to work, huh doll?” he teases, grinning when Tony pulls back to smile broadly and kiss him. Tony’s fingers trace his smile, a soft look in his eyes and Bucky shifts, uncertain and a little wary. 

“This is a good look on you,” Tony murmurs, fingertip outlining the shape of Bucky’s mouth. 

“Wha’s that?” he whispers, throat thick with emotion. 

Dark eyes flick up to meet his. 

“Happiness.”

Bucky’s not sure why it took him till this moment to realize it, but yeah, yeah he  _ is  _ happy. Probably more than he ever has been. 

The realization hits him square in the chest and he can’t help but sob out a broken laugh, tears suddenly in his eyes. 

“Yeah,” he agrees wetly, lifting a hand to cup Tony’s face, “I am.” He leans in and kisses Tony and ignores the tears on his face, focuses on the way Tony tastes like  _ home _ and how  _ right _ he feels in Bucky’s arms. 

“Cus of you doll,” he murmurs between kisses, “cus of you.”

* * *

They don’t finish the cat tree that day, but Tony doesn’t seem worried so Bucky isn’t either. He  _ is _ however sweaty and smelly and ready for a shower, so he lures Tony along with him with kisses and lingering touches. 

He has Tony pressed up against the stone wall of the shower, hands skimming over his lean body, spreading soap over every inch of skin he can reach when Tony sighs softly and arches into his touch, eyes fluttering shut. 

Bucky watches his face, entranced at the pleasure and relaxation he sees there as he massages up and down Tony’s arms, working out the soreness of the day. Tony’s scent warms with happiness and relaxation and Bucky feels something catch in his throat that  _ he’s  _ the one who caused it. 

All he wants is to make Tony happy. To make him feel safe and loved and wanted. 

Because he  _ is _ all those things—even if Bucky can’t express them well out loud. 

He kisses Tony’s throat and licks up the water that’s lingering on his skin, humming at the taste as he caresses Tony’s hips. He lets his hands slide back and grip on Tony’s ass, a low groan coming from his throat. 

“Got the sweetest peach baby,” he murmurs into Tony’s skin, relishing in the clean omega taste that fills his mouth when he licks over Tony’s bonding gland. 

Tony shudders and whines softly, arching his neck to give Bucky more room and he grins, nips at the gland and lets his fingers slide into the cleft of Tony’s ass. Tony gasps when his fingers brush over the tight rim he was once very familiar with. 

He rubs at it gently, mouthing at Tony’s throat, “Such a good oma,” he whispers, lips wet from the water cascading over them and steaming up the air between them. “Buildin’ a big tree for our kitty,” he croons, “so clever and kind.”

Tony makes a low broken sound when Bucky presses against his hole firmly, teasing him. “Makin sure our home is nice, takin care of your alphas.” He licks and sucks at Tony’s bonding gland and aches to sink his teeth in, but something in him  _ knows _ that this isn’t the right time. 

Not yet anyway. 

He smiles against Tony’s skin as his oma wriggles and moans, pleasure warming his chest when he feels that Tony’s half hard.  _ He _ did that.  _ He _ made his mate feel good. 

His lips make a wet popping sound when he pulls away from Tony’s skin and the whine he gets in response is just gorgeous, but there’s something else he wants right now. 

“Can I suck you baby?” he asks, kissing Tony hungrily, “please Tony baby, lemme suck you,” he pleads, pressing his fingers against Tony’s hole again just to hear his mate gasp and moan. 

“Y-yeah,” Tony stutters out, nodding frantically as Bucky kisses him. 

Bucky isn’t careful or graceful when he falls to his knees but he doesn’t care—this is where he’s meant to be, worshiping at the feet of the man who’d brought him back to life and loved him even when Bucky didn’t know how to love himself. 

He nuzzles into the crook of Tony’s hip, inhaling the wet scent of arousal and clean skin. His lips slide against Tony’s skin, the taste of his omega filling his mouth; sweet like honey and warm like cinnamon in the back of his throat. 

It reminds him of the Christmas cake his ma used to bake each year—warm and homey and delicious. 

He licks at Tony’s skin, humming in delight and slides his hands up the backs of Tony’s thighs, hitches one over his shoulder and then tilts his chin to smirk up at his mate. 

“Might wanna hang on doll,” is all the warning he gives before he’s swallowing down Tony’s cock and pushing two soapy fingers against Tony’s rim.

There’s a sharp cry of pleasure from above him and then a hand buries into his hair. He rumbles his pleasure at the tight grip Tony has and swallows around his cock, heat building under his skin as Tony writhes ineffectually and moans. 

He works one finger into Tony and pumps it slowly, sliding back till he’s sucking on the head of his cock, gaze floating up to watch Tony’s face twist like he’s in agony as he touches him. 

Memories are hard to hold onto sometimes, given everything that’s happened to him, but the ones he has of bonding with Tony are seared into his mind. He thinks that even if Hydra tried to erase his memories, tried to erase  _ him _ , they’d never be able to erase Tony. 

Not when Tony has saved his soul and given him a second chance at a happy life. 

He redoubles his efforts, working a second finger into Tony and humming his encouragement when his mate starts rolling his hips forward. Desperate cries fall from Tony’s lips as he fucks Bucky’s mouth, the hand in his hair painfully tight, but Bucky doesn’t mind at all. 

If anything, it spurs him on, makes him push deeper into Tony’s body with his fingers, curling them  _ just so _ and—

Tony cries out and flails, cock slipping out of Bucky’s mouth—he nearly falls over, and if Bucky hadn’t had such a good grip, he would have. He steadies Tony and then rubs gently at his prostate, licking at the head of his cock, humming at the taste of his cum. 

“ _ God,  _ **_Bucky_ ** _ , _ ” Tony gasps, arching his hips forward till the only parts of his body still against the wall are the back of his head and the occasional brush of his shoulders. Bucky adjusts his grip and takes Tony’s weight easily—it’s no strain at all for him to bear Tony up. 

He’s tempted to close his eyes but he doesn’t want to miss out on seeing Tony’s face, so he keeps them open and bobs forward, pushing Tony’s cock deeper into his throat with a low groan. 

He almost wishes he could get a hand on his own cock, but that would mean taking his fingers out of Tony, and there’s not a chance in  _ hell _ of that happening. 

Tony sobs and gasps and moans, fingers knotted in Bucky’s hair as he fucks into his mouth and then back onto his fingers. 

“Alpha, oh god, Bucky,  _ please! _ ”

Bucky pulls off Tony’s cock and presses a quick kiss to his hip when he whines, “Shhh, I’ve got you baby, alpha has you,” he croons, “can you play with those pretty nipples of yours? Huh baby?”

Tony nods and lifts his free hand to his chest and Bucky's alpha preens at seeing how badly it’s shaking. He watches Tony pinch and pull on one for a moment before pressing another kiss to his hip, “Tha’s it baby, just like that,” he encourages before taking Tony’s cock back into his mouth. 

He adjusts his grip and slides his free hand around to bring Tony’s other thigh up onto his shoulder so the entirety of his weight rests on Bucky. Tony groans at the manhandling and rolls his hips forward, panting Bucky’s name alongside pleas for more. 

Never one to disappoint, Bucky rubs more firmly on Tony’s prostate and then uses his free hand to snake behind Tony’s balls and press down firmly, eyes narrowing in a laugh he can’t really verbalize when Tony howls in pleasure and comes unexpectedly. 

He sucks on Tony’s cock till he’s over sensitive and whining and then pulls off slowly, licking his shaft clean. Pressing kisses over it and then up the vee of his hips, he leaves his fingers inside Tony, unmoving, but solid and reassuring. 

“ _ God, _ Bucky…”

He hums and works his fingers out slowly, hushing Tony when he whines at the loss and then moves quickly, lifting Tony up under the thighs and standing, swallowing down his gasp of surprise with a kiss. 

Tony’s legs wrap around his waist and he kisses Tony hard, groaning when the other man fists his hair and tugs. 

“Yea? Like that alpha?” Tony murmurs, nipping at Bucky’s bottom lip. He nods and Tony laughs softly, “You wanna come?” he asks, as if Bucky’s cock isn’t hard and leaking against his stomach. 

“Christ doll, course I do,” he murmurs, chasing Tony’s mouth for another deep kiss. Tony’s hand caresses the width of his shoulders and a tired smirk appears on his lips, one that makes Bucky’s gut tighten in anticipation.

“Why don’t you fuck me then?” Tony says against Bucky’s lips, grinning when Bucky groans. Bucky’s head falls to Tony’s shoulder and he breathes unsteadily. 

Christ, how he wants that. 

“We don’t have anything in here to make you slick baby,” he murmurs, “I don’ wanna hurt you.”

He doesn’t. He thinks that if he ever did anything to hurt Tony it would fuckin kill him. 

“I’ll never hurt you again,” he swears vehemently, kissing Tony’s bonding gland reverently. 

The hand in his hair gentles and shifts to cup his chin, tugging gently till he’s looking up at Tony. His dark hair is falling over his brow, plastered to his golden skin and he’s smiling softly at Bucky, warmth and what might be love shining out of them. 

“I know you won’t,” Tony murmurs, “I trust you.”

And that,  _ that _ fucking hits him square in the gut. 

He closes his eyes against the sudden tears that want to fall and presses his cheek into Tony’s palm, seeking out his oma’s touch. Lips press to his brow and he sobs, unable to hold them back anymore. 

“Shh, I know baby, I know,” Tony croons, lips pressing to his brow, temple, cheek and then back. He scents of  _ comfortlovetrustfamilyhome _ and it just makes Bucky weep harder because the last time he’d smelled  _ that _ , they had all just bonded. 

Tony’s lips brush against his temple and his fingers push wet hair away from Bucky’s face, “I trust you Alpha, I trust you.”

Each time it’s like Tony’s words are chipping away at the walls he’s been hiding behind, trying to protect his heart. 

“You’re mine, my alpha, my mate,” Tony whispers, “mine honey, all mine.”

Over and over again Tony whispers it to him, thumb caressing the column of his throat, rubbing gently on his bonding gland to soothe him. 

By the time the tears stop he feels...hollowed out. Emptied of his fear and resistance, everything washed away here under the stream of Tony’s affection and the hot water pouring over them. 

“C’mon honey, let’s finish getting clean and then go to bed,” Tony murmurs, lips brushing against his temple. 

Bucky nods and lowers Tony back to his feet, a hand at his waist to keep him steady when he trembles. Tony smiles warmly at him and then leans in for a kiss so he grabs Tony’s other hip and holds him steady.

But Tony’s holding onto Bucky’s elbow and his hip firmly and when his knees quake he thinks in surprise that maybe  _ Tony _ is the one keeping them steady. 

They kiss until Tony slips away from him with a regretful smile and lathers up a sponge and washes Bucky thoroughly. Bucky watches as Tony lathers and rinses his own hair and then rubs in something else that smells like juniper and citrus and he wants to bury his nose in Tony’s hair and never leave. 

When they’re both clean to Tony’s satisfaction he’s ushered out of the shower and toweled down before being pushed into bed and cuddled fiercely. Tony spoons him, lips pressed to the nape of his neck as he strokes the scent gland on Bucky’s wrist, soothingly scent marking him till he’s drowsy and soft. 

“Go to sleep baby, you’re safe,” Tony croons, nuzzling at his hair, lips pressing down gently. 

He sleeps. 

* * *

They finish the cat tree system nearly a week later and Tony is proud of himself for letting Bucky nudge him away from work for things like showers and meals and naps. Sure it takes longer, but the thrill that runs over his skin when Bucky smiles approvingly at him or kisses him as a reward is  _ more _ than enough incentive. 

In return he’s managed to get Bucky to eat more every day, even if he  _ has _ had to sit on him and hand feed him to make it happen. 

Not that he’s complaining mind you, not when it’s led to heated make out sessions like they’re both teenagers again. The last time, he’d ground his ass down into Bucky’s cock until his mate had spilled into his pants, teeth dangerously close to sinking into Tony’s bonding gland, the pressure of it enough to make him come without ever getting fully hard. 

He’s been working with Princess Shuri in near daily video calls, trying to pursue clean energy for every nation in the world, and they’re getting very close—a few more weeks and every nation on earth will be energy independent. 

There’s a knock at his office door and then it rolls open, revealing a sweaty, shirtless Bucky that tears his attention away from his work  _ quite  _ effectively. 

His gaze lingers on the vast gleaming planes of skin, more gold than cream now that Bucky’s been working outside in the sunshine. 

In addition to helping Tony with the cat tree system, Bucky’s plowed up the earth out back for a huge garden, and laid out designs for a corral for what Tony assumes will hold goats someday. With every new project Bucky completes or takes on, Tony glows with pleasure because he can  _ see _ the joy radiating out of Bucky’s eyes. 

Having a purpose, working with his hands, Tony can see how much it’s changing Bucky, how it’s waking up his eyes and bringing life back into his whole body—he looks like an entirely different man by the time the week is over. 

“Hey doll?” 

He jolts and realizes he’s been staring at Bucky’s sweaty chest, flushes when Bucky laughs, a low pleased sound. 

“I was gonna ask if you’d gimme a trim after my shower, but maybe you want to join me instead?” he asks, brow rising pointedly, gaze skating down Tony’s body in a pointed way. 

Tony glances back at his work, hesitance gripping him for a moment before he reminds himself that not only is Shuri working on this, but so too is Peter, Stark Industries R&D, and the entire corps of Wakandan scientists. 

For the first time in his life he feels like he isn’t carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, like he isn’t responsible for every bad outcome or mission gone wrong. 

There are other people to carry the weight and he finally feels like maybe he can breathe freely. 

He is not Atlas, and it’s time his shoulders became unbowed. 

He waves a hand and has FRIDAY close his session down before rising from his chair and leaning in for a kiss that tastes like sweat and sunshine. 

“Let’s go alpha,” he murmurs with a grin, “let’s get you cleaned up.”

* * *

Tony sucks Bucky off in the shower and turns him into a loose limbed, slack smiled, mushy alpha who is easily taken care of and less likely to object to Tony showering him in affection and praise. 

He finishes showering first (he wasn’t that dirty to begin with) and gathers up his shaving kit, scissors and electric trimmer. He whips up fresh shaving cream and lays out a few other creams and scrubs to sneak in a facial for his alpha. 

Most alphas would probably balk at accepting a facial, but something tells him that Bucky won’t mind—especially if it’s Tony doing it. Bucky tries to act like he doesn’t want to be taken care of, but every time Tony feeds him or bathes him or even updates the tech in his arm, he can scent how pleased and shy Bucky gets. 

It warms his heart that Bucky is  _ finally _ letting down his walls and allowing Tony to take care of him, that he’s acknowledging that there  _ are _ things he wants, and recognizing that he’s allowed to ask for them. 

It’s an enormous step forward and Tony is  _ so _ proud of his alpha. 

His thoughts are interrupted when Bucky emerges from the shower in a waft of steam—skin golden and glistening, contrasting beautifully with the crisp white towel tucked around his waist. 

He waves Bucky over to the chair he’d dragged into the bathroom and arranges a towel around his shoulders carefully before stepping back and grinning at his mate. 

“So, what do you want for your hair? Buzz cut? Mohawk? Neon green?” 

Bucky snorts and shakes his head, “Nah, I thought maybe something like what I had in the forties—seen a few people with a cut that’s longer on top and shaved close on the sides. Wouldn’t mind something like that,” he tells Tony with a little smile. 

“Sure, that’s easy enough,” Tony agrees, stepping between Bucky’s thighs to run his fingers through his hair, measuring it with a critical eye. He lifts pieces here and there, noting how it’s all different lengths, as though someone had trimmed it with a knife and just hacked away at it. 

He doesn’t ask if Bucky was the one to do it, he knows it must have been him. Instead he measures a few more spots and then nods, steps back and grabs his scissors. 

“If you need a break for any reason, just let me know,” he tells Bucky gently, reaching out to brush his knuckles against Bucky’s cheek. “I’m going to trim it all to one length first and then work on the sides with the trimmer. Okay?”

Bucky nods, eyes full of trust and affection and Tony can’t help but lean in and kiss him sweetly. As much as he’d like to, he doesn’t linger. Instead, he pulls back and steps behind Bucky and starts cutting, checking his length as he goes till he’s satisfied with where it is. 

FRIDAY plays soft jazz in the background while he works and a few times he catches Bucky humming along or tapping his foot and it makes him smile—it’s these little moments that really drive home to Tony how happy Bucky is now. 

He pulls out the electric trimmer and pauses, lays a hand on Bucky’s shoulder and kisses the back of his head. “You ready?” he whispers, lips brushing against his hair. 

Bucky makes a soft noise that Tony thinks is affirmative, but he can’t be sure. He leans down and to the side and smiles softly when he sees Bucky’s eyes are shut and a blissful expression is on his face. 

Laughing softly, he presses a quick kiss to Bucky’s temple, “Okay, here we go.”

He clicks on the trimmer and starts. 

Long strands of hair fall away, leaving one side shorn and the other long—for the moment. He switches to the other side and works back till he’s at the nape of Bucky’s neck and then cleans up the back of his head. 

He shuts off the trimmer and brushes away the hair on Bucky’s shoulders, runs his fingers through the longer hair up top and measures it, humming in satisfaction. 

“All done, you ready for a shave?” 

Bucky nods and cracks open his eyes to smile up at him and Tony can’t help but lean in for a kiss. Bucky melts into it, a soft noise in his throat as Tony cups his jaw and kisses him deeper. 

He pulls away and pecks kisses over his cheeks and brow and closed eyelids, delighted by the sheer joy that is coming off Bucky in waves. “Okay honey, you just relax, I’m gonna take care of you,” he murmurs, pressing one last kiss to Bucky’s lips. 

The shaving cream gets applied liberally and then Tony’s working slowly, deliberately, straight razor in hand. It’s different than doing his own shaving, but he’s not worried about cutting Bucky—his hands are steady. 

The slick scrape of metal against flesh is oddly soothing and each time Tony looks up to check on Bucky he’s deeply pleased to see how relaxed he is. He can scent contentment on Bucky, and every line of his body is relaxed and open. 

The trust inherent in the act of allowing a straight razor near his throat, of Bucky leaving himself vulnerable and open to attack—it floors Tony. 

He thinks that  _ this _ moment, more than any other shows him just how deeply Bucky has grown to trust him. A fine tremor runs through his hands and he pulls away to take a deep breath, excited and nervous and hopeful. 

Bucky trusting him with this position of weakness, this baring of his throat—a move almost  _ no _ alpha would make to anyone else, let alone an  _ omega _ —it speaks volumes to Tony about the man that is his mate. 

Bucky’s eyes flutter open, curious and sleepy and happy. “You ok doll?” he murmurs, reaching out to brush his metal fingers against Tony’s hip. 

Tony stares at him for a moment, a lump of emotions in his throat and then nods, lips trembling. “Yea, I’m fine babe, I’m fine.”

Bucky stares at him for a moment and then nods and closes his eyes, relaxation slipping back over his body. 

Tony blinks rapidly to clear the tears that have flooded his eyes, breath shuddering out of him as he stands there and stares at the man he loves. 

He chokes back a sob and inhales slowly to steady himself.

_ He loves Bucky. _

His hands shake for a moment as he acknowledges the feeling for the first time. He knew he loved Bucky in an abstract sense a long time ago—Bucky is his mate, so of course he loves him. 

But  _ this _ ? 

This is him realizing that he loves the way Bucky snorts when he laughs too hard and how his mouth quirks to the left when he’s trying not to laugh at one of Steve’s dumb jokes, or how he pets Alpine like she’s breakable and whispers sweet nothings to her in Russian. 

He  _ loves _ Bucky—not just the concept of his mate, but the actual man. 

Faults and all. 

With a shaking smile, he sniffles softly and goes back to shaving, hands steady once more. 

* * *

The day Bucky realizes he’s ready to bond with Tony starts like any other, with a run around the lake and then a hike up the mountain, all before breakfast. 

Tony often complains that he and Steve are eating him out of his fortune, but Bucky can tell he’s pleased by the way Bucky has been putting on weight and muscle. 

He has to admit that Tony was probably right; he’d gotten too thin, let the weight of the world wear him down till he felt stretched thin and worn through in spots. 

Waking up with his mates day after day, being happier than he’s ever been, living in peace for the first time in decades...it all feels surreal. Sometimes, when he has nightmares, he dreams that this life is just a figment of his imagination, that he’s back in cryo, dreaming of a life he’d always wanted. 

_ Those _ nights, he wakes up screaming. 

These days though, he has Tony and Steve to calm him and hold him after, and the dreams come less and less as time passes. 

These days, he’s  _ happy _ .

He gets back as Steve is drinking a cup of coffee, peering out the window at the fog on the lake. It’s chilly now, leaves coat the ground and more mornings than not there’s frost on the ground and trees. 

The air is starting to smell like snow and it makes Bucky want to curl up in bed with Tony and never leave. He checks the clock and grins because it’s  _ way  _ too early for Tony to be awake yet, which means if he’s quick and quiet he can slip into bed next to him after he’s showered and get in some quality snuggles. 

“I know that look,” Steve murmurs, smirking at him as he scratches behind Alpine’s ears. He hands Bucky a cup of coffee and sips on his own, clearly waiting for Bucky to say something. 

Bucky very maturely sticks out his tongue at his mate before sipping his coffee, humming at the warm rush it sends through his veins. “Just cus you’re leavin doesn’t mean you gotta be jealous Stevie.”

Steve rolls his eyes and empties his cup, “I’m not jealous Buck, I’m sure Tony is gonna love you crawling into bed with him all sweaty and smelly.”

Bucky throws an apple at him and grins when he avoids it neatly, snapping it out of the air with a bored look. “I’m gonna shower first punk,  _ jeez _ ,” he mutters, grinning from behind his coffee mug. 

Steve says nothing and bites into the apple with a crisp sound, chewing nonchalantly as he stares Bucky down. “What are you two gonna get up to while I’m gone?” he asks knowingly, smirk curling his lips up on one side. 

He hates a little how well his best friend knows him. 

Lowering his gaze, he stares at the coffee in his mug, words caught in his throat, thick and unyielding. He senses Steve shuffling closer and swallows hard, fingers tightening around his mug. 

“I’m...I want to bond with Tony,” he whispers, swallowing hard. Now that the words are out it feels like the band around his lungs is easing, like he can breathe again. 

Cutting his eyes to the side, he glances up at Steve, registers the pride and joy in his face, and then looks away, heart thrumming too fast. 

“That’s great Buck! Tony’s gonna be so happy,” Steve murmurs softly. 

When Bucky doesn’t respond, Steve sighs softly and Bucky hears him set aside his mug before his fingers brush at Bucky’s. He doesn’t hesitate to return the touch, lacing their fingers together before he turns toward Steve and buries his face in his neck. 

A hand cups the back of his neck and Bucky stays there, inhaling Steve’s familiar scent. He’s shaking, and Steve must be able to feel it because he tightens his grip on him and makes soft soothing sounds. 

“What if I hurt him Stevie? What if he changes his mind? I can’t—” he breaks off with a choked sound lodging in his throat and shudders at the thought of Tony rejecting the bond. 

“Shhh Bucky, he isn’t gonna change his mind. He’s been ready to be yours since he came back from the past. He  _ loves  _ you Buck, don’t ever doubt that.”

Bucky nods and lets out a shuddering breath, “But what if I mess up? What if something happens and I hurt him? I can’t...I can’t  _ do  _ that again.”

Tears well in his eyes and he sniffles, “Stevie, he’s everything to me,  _ everything _ . I’d die for him,” he confesses. 

At this, Steve pulls back and stares at him seriously, “Then you need to tell him that Buck. He deserves to know how you feel, even the hard stuff.” Steve’s fingers gently brush away the tears that have fallen and Bucky sighs, leaning into the touch. 

Steve smiles fondly at him and presses a kiss to his brow, lingering there in silence as they breathe together, words no longer needed. Bucky can smell the love exuding from Steve and revels in it, tightens his grip on Steve’s narrow waist and hums happily. 

Eventually Steve steps back and smiles softly at him, “Go shower, you stink,” he teases, eyes bright with amusement. Bucky feigns a punch at his jaw and then hooks a gentle blow to his stomach, laughing when Steve huffs and grapples with him for a moment before shoving him toward the stairs. 

By the time he’s done showering, Steve is in the bedroom kissing a sleepy Tony goodbye. He’s off on another mission, with Thor this time, chasing down a rumor that Loki lives. 

Steve pecks one last kiss to Tony’s lips and then rises from the bed, reaching for Bucky. He goes easily, kissing back when Steve deepens the embrace, humming at the low thrum of arousal that warms his belly when Steve palms his ass.

When Steve finally pulls away the air scents of arousal and omega slick, and one glance at where Tony still lays in bed tells Bucky that he too is enjoying their embrace. 

Steve pecks a kiss to his temple. “Talk to him,” he urges, too soft for anyone without enhanced hearing to catch. 

Bucky nods and steals one last kiss, watching Steve’s broad shoulders disappear around the corner. 

There’s a long moment of silence and then—

“Just for the record, I wouldn’t be opposed to displays like that more often.”

Laughing, Bucky turns back to find a grinning Tony staring at him, bare chest exposed, sheets pooling around his waist. 

He lets his towel fall and stalks over to the bed slowly, letting Tony look his fill, inhaling the growing scent of arousal greedily. He watches Tony’s gaze flicker over his body, down the wet planes of his chest and stomach, lingering on his rising cock, then back up to his face as he leans over Tony, strong arms bracketing his head. 

“Oh?” he murmurs teasingly, “you like seein your alphas touch each other?” he asks, leaning in till Tony’s presses down into the mattress, scant breaths between their lips. 

Tony is wide eyed beneath him, staring intently back at Bucky. He nods and licks his lips, “You’re both beautiful and strong and big. You look amazing together,” he murmurs, “if you ever want to, I’d love to watch you together.”

The idea of that, of he and Steve fucking while Tony watches...it sends a searing hot shiver of want through him that leaves him breathless and aching. 

Bucky hums and tilts his head, “Maybe next time baby, right now I’m thinking I need a taste of that sweet slick of yours,” he murmurs, smirking when Tony flushes a delightful shade of pink. 

Hooking a finger in the sheets, he tugs until Tony’s forced to let go and drags them away, slowly revealing Tony’s body to his gaze. He’s lean and muscled with a slight softness to his belly from age and Bucky’s hunger softens into something sweeter, fonder. 

He presses a kiss to Tony’s lips and caresses his hip, thumb brushing against the jut of bone, over and over again as he deepens the kiss. Tony moans beneath him and lifts his hands to twine into Bucky’s hair, tugging gently and arching his body up into Bucky’s. 

He ignores Tony’s sound of disappointment when he abandons his mouth for his jaw and throat—the sound sliding into a moan when Bucky licks over his bonding gland. He nuzzles and scent marks him, inhaling the dizzying scent of Tony’s arousal. 

He takes his time, reveling in the fact that he gets to do this—gets to hold Tony close and listen to him whine and moan at each touch, gets to taste the salt on his skin and enjoy the warm sleepy taste of his kisses. 

Tears prick at his eyes and he takes a deep shuddering breath before opening his eyes and smiling softly down at his mate. His fingers shake where they furrow through Tony’s graying hair, thumb catching on the hook of Tony’s jaw and petting it gently. 

“I gotta tell you something,” he murmurs, waiting till he’s sure his serious tone has caught Tony’s attention. Tony peers up at him, dark eyes wide with curiosity and concern, and Bucky can scent his worry so he leans in and kisses him, exuding reassurance as much as he can. 

It’s now or never. 

“I want…” he swallows hard and forces himself to meet Tony’s gaze. “I want you to be mine,” he whispers, “and I wanna be yours.” 

Realization dawns in Tony’s eyes and his scent changes, turning spicy with  _ elationwantneed  _ and the laugh that tears out of his throat sounds raw and broken. “ _ Really _ ?” Tony whispers, “you want to, to—”

“Bond,” Bucky completes for him, nodding effusively. He grins widely when Tony’s face splits into a smile so bright it makes his heart ache. “I wanna be yours baby,” he murmurs, leaning in for a kiss, “your mate,” another kiss, “your alpha.”

Tony purrs in delight and winds his legs around Bucky’s hips, tucks his feet over his legs and against his knees, pulling Bucky down firmly so they’re hip to hip. 

“ _ Mine _ ,” Tony murmurs, lips and teeth attacking the skin of Bucky’s neck. He hisses in pleasure and arches his neck, baring the skin for further attention. Heat courses through his veins as Tony purrs and sucks marks onto his skin, hands gripping tightly at his sides, holding him in place—as if there was ever any place else he’d want to be. 

“Yours,” he gasps, eyes falling shut as dizzying waves of pleasure roll through him, throat dry as he tries to swallow around the swell of emotion choking him. 

He’s never been someone’s like this before. 

Even when it was just he and Steve, it wasn’t  _ this.  _

It wasn’t sweet possession and adoration, teasing and wanting and loving. 

It wasn’t affection and comfort and desire. 

It wasn’t  _ love. _

His breath catches in his too dry throat and he seeks out Tony’s mouth, kissing him desperately, trying to pull him ever closer till they’re one person, body and soul. 

He knows his hands are too hard on Tony’s body, that he’s probably bruising that pretty skin, but he can’t let go, can’t stop touching his  _ mate.  _

“Shh, c’mere honey,” Tony murmurs, dark eyes soft and understanding when he finally tears his lips away from Tony’s. Tony smiles softly and pushes Bucky’s hair back out of his brow, “I’m right here alpha, I’m not going anywhere,” he promises, thumb dragging gently over the delicate skin beneath Bucky’s eye. 

Bucky shudders and turns his chin, presses a kiss to Tony’s palm and lifts his own hand to cover Tony’s. He leans into it and inhales the scent of joyful omega—sweet like blueberry pie, tangy like hot metal, bitter like gold. 

When he’s calmed down he pulls away and levers himself up on one hand, muscles in his arm bulging as he leans in and kisses Tony with every ounce of confidence and skill he can recall from his youth till Tony is weak and pliant and purring beneath him. 

The fingertips of his free hand skim down Tony’s throat, feeling the gentle ripple as he swallows, pausing in the sweet little hollow at the base of his throat to feel the hummingbird thrum of his pulse before sliding away. 

His lips move languidly against Tony’s as his fingers trace gently around the dusky pink skin of Tony’s nipple, humming as he feels it grow taut. The scent of slick and aroused omega fills his nose, joining with his own juniper and pine scent. 

Rolling his shoulders in delight, he teases at Tony’s full bottom lip and nips, smirking when Tony whines and arches up into him, wet smearing against his hip from Tony’s leaking cock. 

Alpha pride swells in him—he’s made his omega feel good. 

Recapturing Tony’s mouth is easy—his beautiful sighs as Bucky kisses him ignites something warm and aching in his chest and he decides then and there that he won’t let a day go by without making Tony sigh like that. 

His thumb brushes over the taut nub of Tony’s nipple, and he does it again when Tony moans his name on a breathy sigh, greedy for more of those sounds. 

His lips trail over Tony’s face, kissing at the fine lines around his eyes, at the furrow between his brows, at the corner of his jaw. Tony shakes beneath him, clinging desperately to Bucky and he can smell slick in the air, sweet and heady like perfume. 

He works his way down Tony’s throat and bares his teeth against where his bonding mark will go, scraping over the delicate skin so Tony whines and gasps. His metal fingers pinch Tony’s nipple and tug gently, punching out a groan from Tony’s throat as he licks delicately on Tony’s bonding gland. 

“ _ Fuck,”  _ Tony pants, licking his lips like he’s desperate for a drink of water, gaze unfocused when Bucky pulls away to peer down at him. “Alpha,” he moans, “please.”

Bucky nuzzles into his neck and scents him, dragging the rough rasp of his unshaven skin against Tony’s, growling softly at his whine of pleasure. He does it again and again till he’s sure the skin is sensitive and warm and then licks at it just to hear Tony’s needy whine. 

Tony’s whine of disappointment when he leaves it for newer territory makes him smirk, drop a kiss on the hollow of his throat and croon softly, hand rubbing soothingly up and down Tony’s side. 

“Shhh alpha’s got you oma, I’ve got you,” he murmurs, smiling when Tony seeks him out for a kiss, letting himself be pulled back in for a long and lingering embrace. 

When he pulls back Tony looks dazed, eyes glazed with pleasure and skin flushed from his cheeks down to his chest. Tony’s fingers shake when they reach up to brush against his cheek, lips quavering as he smiles sweetly. 

“My alpha,” he sighs, and something inside Bucky’s chest snaps free, like the bindings on his heart have finally been broken. 

He turns his chin and kisses Tony’s palm, “Yours,” he agrees, dropping another kiss to the work roughened skin before pulling away and resuming his path down Tony’s chest. 

He works up marks on the coppery skin under his teeth and growls when Tony whines and writhes beneath him. 

_ Mine  _ he chants with each new mark he leaves. 

_ Mine mine mine _

He leaves a necklace of bruises across Tony’s throat, on the strong planes of his chest, in rings around his nipples so they look like blooming roses. 

He turns Tony into a work of art, a display of possession and desire and  _ love.  _

He sucks on Tony’s nipples till he knows they’re throbbing, nips and licks just to see him flinch and moan and arch up for  _ more _ , gasps of  _ more alpha _ falling so sweetly from his lips. 

Tony trembles beneath him and he swells with alpha pride that he’s been able to reduce his omega to such sweet pliancy. He surges down and kisses Tony, devouring him with intent, hands traversing the love bruised skin of his torso. 

He only relents when Tony is shifting restlessly beneath him, and he takes a moment to enjoy the way Tony’s chest expands and contracts as he gasps for air, lips swollen and red from Bucky’s mouth. 

His gut clenches at the sight and he shudders to imagine what Tony’s mouth around his cock would look like. Stretched wide and glistening with spit, eye glazed with lust…

Cursing, he swoops down and kisses Tony deeply, recklessly, inhaling the pitiful moans and mewling sobs that fall from Tony’s lips as he devours him. 

“Christ doll, I aughta keep you like this all the time,” he pants, nipping at Tony’s lip to hear him whine, “all soft and sweet for me.”

Tony’s head rolls in a loose but eager nod, “Yea, wanna—” he gasps when Bucky licks at his nipple and arches into it, “wanna be good for you alpha.” Bucky nips at the hot and slick flesh and Tony whines sharply, breath shuddering out of his chest in great heaving sobs. 

Bucky admires the way Tony’s chest pushes up into the sensation, coppery golden skin slick with sweat and glowing in the early morning light streaming through the windows. His nipples gleam from Bucky’s mouth and he toys with them idly, humming softly in appreciation at the way they turn a rosy shade of pink the longer they’re played with. 

“So goddamn gorgeous doll,” he croons, shifting to press kisses down Tony’s soft stomach, hands splayed wide around his narrow hips, thumbs caressing the dips in his pelvis. It makes his breathing stutter a little to see how large his hands are against the narrow curve of Tony’s body, how easily he’s able to hold him down and leave purple marks on his skin. 

“M’ too soft an old,” Tony whines, trying to push Bucky’s head away from his soft middle. Bucky is an immovable object though, and remains right where he wants to be. 

“Hush baby,” he whispers, dropping a kiss to the still sharp jut of hipbone. “You’re gorgeous just as you are.” He licks delicately at the skin just to hear Tony gasp and see him shudder. “You don’t gotta be anythin other than what you are,” he murmurs, petting gently at Tony’s thigh where it’s hitched up by Bucky’s shoulder. 

He ignores Tony’s leaking cock and instead nips and sucks at the delicate skin at the crook of his groin, inhaling the soft sleep scent mixed with sweet and musky arousal. The skin there is salty and sweet and he laps at it eagerly, groaning at the taste. 

Tony moans and writhes, sighing Bucky’s name, thighs spreading to make room for where Bucky has bullied his way between them. He leaves teeth marks and hickies on the dusky skin of Tony’s thighs, then pushes them wider, and then wider still till his feet are hooked over Bucky’s shoulders. 

Bucky groans long and low as Tony’s pink hole is exposed, slick coating his thighs and ass. Fingers slipping against damp skin, he pulls Tony’s cheeks apart further and blows on his wet sensitive skin, grinning sharply when his hole quivers and leaks more slick while Tony moans like a cheap whore. 

“Christ doll, look at you,” he whispers, awed and aroused and so goddamn in love it makes his ribs ache from trying to contain it in his body. His thumb slips inward, dusky pink skin sliding under his palm as he rotates his wrist and thumbs at Tony’s hole. 

A high whine fills the air as he tests the give, groaning when his thumb slips in with little more than a gentle push. Tony writhes, gasping Bucky’s name, hips fighting against Bucky’s tight one handed grip, whining when he gets nowhere. 

Bucky rotates his thumb inside Tony, pushing in till it’s up to his last knuckle, slick dripping down the heel of his hand in slow viscous drops. He sits back and pulls his thumb out and meets Tony’s dazed eyes as he licks it clean. 

Tony gasps loudly and lifts his hips up into the air with a whining plea, lashes spiky with wetness from his sweet Bambi eyes. 

“Christ doll, you taste even better than you look,” Bucky rumbles, reaching down to massage where his knot has swollen up slightly, groaning loudly at the sensation.

“Please, need it, alpha,  _ please! _ ” Tony sobs, hands shaking as he reaches out to Bucky. 

Bucky reaches out and captures both of Tony’s hands in one of his, kisses over the knuckles and fingertips and then rubs his cheek against Tony’s scent glands at his wrists, marking and soothing him. 

“Hush doll, alpha has you,” he murmurs, leaning up to kiss Tony softly, fingers furrowing through Tony’s silky hair, guiding his head back further to deepen the kiss. “Alpha has you my sweet oma.” 

Tony goes limp under him, purring in satisfaction and Bucky can’t help but grin and kiss him again, savoring the feel of his mouth. “I’m gonna get my mouth on that pretty hole a’yours baby,” he murmurs, smirking when Tony makes a raw noise of pleasure. 

He kisses down Tony’s body once more, murmuring praise and promises as he goes. 

“Gonna lick that hole till you scream doll.”

“Eat you out till I can slide right in without any trouble.”

“Gonna claim what’s  _ mine _ oma.”

He shuts up when he does finally get his mouth on Tony’s hole, but then words are replaced with groans of delight as Tony squirms and moans at the onslaught and Bucky’s utterly and completely gone out of his head. 

His cock is trapped between his belly and the sheets as he licks and sucks and nips at Tony, working him over with every ounce of skill he has, but it’s unimportant, all his attention is on his oma. 

He works two fingers into Tony and searches out his prostate, rubbing insistently on it as he continues to lick and suck at his rim, the filthy wet sounds joining Tony’s increasingly loud cries of pleasure. 

Tony’s cock leaks and leaks where it’s laying against his stomach, the onslaught on his prostate unrelenting. Bucky’s experienced a prostate orgasm and he knows how utterly overwhelming it can be and based on the way Tony is openly sobbing now, he must be getting close to coming. 

Bucky works a third finger in and Tony’s voice cracks around a wail, spine arching off the bed as he comes in small dribbles that pearl onto his belly and roll off his side as he writhes. His hole clenches and flutters around Bucky’s fingers, slick and hot and perfect and  _ Christ _ he can’t wait to get inside there and knot his oma. 

He waits till Tony’s breathing regulates and then withdraws his fingers slowly, dropping soothing kisses to Tony’s hip when he moans in protest. “Shhh I’ve got something to fill you up doll, just hang on,” he promises, rising to his knees and hitching Tony’s legs over his shoulders. 

By now the sheets under Tony are wet with slick and spit and sweat, the musky scent of sex filling the air, spiced heavily with alpha pride and omega desire.

Fine tremors run over Bucky’s body; the anticipation that’s been burning in his gut leaves him shaky and breathless now that it’s time for him to sink into his oma and stake his claim. 

Just the idea of it rips a growl of want from his chest and a twitch from his cock. Tony stares up at him through glassy, lust glazed eyes, mouth dropping open around a keening moan as Bucky presses into him. 

He takes his time, goes achingly slow to torture them both, cursing and growling as he sinks deeper and deeper into Tony’s slick heat. Tony’s neck goes taut as he throws his head back and moans loudly, muscles rippling beneath his skin as he shifts and gasps, trying to roll his hips down to get more. 

Bucky watches, enthralled, as his cock sinks into Tony, thumbing at where he’s spread wide around Bucky’s cock. The skin is pink and hot, slippery with slick and he can’t help but bring his thumb up to suck it off, growling at the heady taste. 

“Fuck baby, you taste like heaven,” he groans, rolling his hips so he sinks in fully, groaning at the tight clucth of Tony’s body around him. 

Tony shudders and moans, ribs expanding wide and then sinking back down, the ripple and shine of his scars tantalizingly beautiful in the early morning light. He knows how much Tony dislikes his scars, how he thinks they make him less attractive, and Bucky understands that--his own scars aren’t just physical like Tony’s. The burden of what they’ve endured is marked onto their skin and their psyche. 

But they have each other now, and Bucky never intends to leave Tony alone to deal with his pain ever again. 

He leans over, grinning as Tony’s legs wrap tighter around his waist, hands sliding up the smooth expanse of Bucky’s back as he’s drawn into a deep and delicious kiss. Tony whimpers as Bucky grinds into him, slow and deep, his tongue mimicking the movement of his hips. 

He’s gentle when he pulls away, nudges Tony’s nose with his till the other man’s sinfully long lashes flutter open so Bucky can see his stunning brown eyes. Smiling softly, he pecks a kiss to Tony’s lips. “Heya doll,” he murmurs, “you with me?”

Tony nods and licks his lips, breathing unsteadily, body clenching around where Bucky is still grinding into him gently. “Feels good,” he murmurs, lips quirking in a crooked smile, eyes glassy with pleasure. “Can’t wait for you to knot me,” he admits, tilting his chin up for another kiss that Bucky gives willingly. 

Flicking his tongue against Tony’s upper lip, Bucky follows it up with a nip that makes his oma gasp weakly and tilt his chin up that little bit more to reconnect their lips. His heart feels so full it aches and Bucky’s tongue is heavy with all the things he wants to tell Tony. 

How he loves him.

How he wants to be with him forever.

How proud he is that Tony’s chosen him for a mate. 

Swallowing hard, he takes a shaky breath and starts with the first one. 

Brushing his fingers against Tony’s cheek, he smiles faintly, “I love you more than life my sweet oma,” he murmurs, watching as Tony’s eyes go wide in surprise. His hole flutters around Bucky’s cock and he inhales sharply, grinding forward for a moment before stilling himself. 

“I didn’t think anyone could love me after the things I’ve done,” he admits softly, “Especially you.” He shakes his head and smiles ruefully, “Guess I shouldn’t underestimate you anymore,” he says with a soft laugh. 

Tony is staring up at him wide eyed, but with a growing smile on his red and swollen lips. “You wouldn’t be the first to make that mistake,” he murmurs teasingly. “I love you too baby,” he whispers, voice strong and true, gaze steady on Bucky. 

Bucky can’t help but kiss him again, heart clenching so hard it feels impossible to breathe. 

“Thank you Tony, god, thank you,” he whispers, voice raw and wet with unshed tears. Nuzzling their noses together, he smiles softly, “I wanna knot you and mark you as mine and then spend everyday of the rest of my life makin you happy doll.”

Tony’s eyes glimmer with unshed tears and he laughs softly, tilting his hips and clenching down around Bucky, “Better get to it then alpha,” he rasps teasingly, laughing when Bucky grinds into him in response and curses. 

Huffing out a laugh through his nose, Bucky shakes his head and kisses Tony, lips lingering till his oma is panting and arching into him, a whine faint in the back of his throat. 

“Better hold on then oma,” he growls, hands pushing Tony’s thighs wide as he leans back and starts thrusting in long firm strokes. Tony’s eyes roll back and a keening moan breaks in the air, milky pearls of cum dripping from his cock onto the mess he’s already made of his stomach. 

Bucky watches as his cock slides in and out of Tony’s glistening hole, growls at the growing scent of sex and arousal between them, the lewd slap of skin on skin making his fingers dig into Tony’s soft skin. 

He wants to make a home for himself, here inside Tony. 

Carve out a place for himself, mark and claim until everyone knows who Tony belongs to and in turn, who Bucky belongs to. 

“Fuck,” he pants, pistoning harder into Tony, the slick clench of his body driving him inexorably toward release. 

“Oh  _ god  _ Bucky!” 

Tony cries out sharply as Bucky’s thrusts grow harder, faster. He shifts and hikes Tony’s legs around his waist, rhythm slowing for a moment as he leans in and starts nipping and sucking at the marks he’s already left on Tony’s neck. He shifts and drives into Tony, growling when his oma wails at the onslaught to his prostate. 

“Sound so good screamin for me doll,” he pants, “christ almighty, I could listen to that all goddamn day.”

Tony whimpers and writhes beneath him, voice cracking on a shout when Bucky starts mouthing at his bonding gland, sucking and nipping at the swollen and hot skin. Fresh slick leaks out around his cock adding to the mess they’re making and Bucky growls in possessive pride, hips snapping forward hard. 

“Mine, my oma,” he snarls, cursing as he feels his knot starting to form. He’s been holding back for so long he’s surprised it didn’t pop when he first pushed into Tony. 

“Yours,” Tony agrees, “your oma, all yours,” he slurs, tears wetting his lashes as he arches and moans beneath Bucky. 

Bucky snarls again and bites down on the opposite side of Tony’s throat, sucking a deep bruised mark onto the skin there as Tony howls beneath him, sobs wracking his chest at the onslaught of sensation. Bucky works a hand between them and grabs Tony’s cock, hot and slick and throbbing in his rough palm. 

Tony whines sharply and shouts, shudders running over his spine as Bucky fucks him  _ hard _ . He’s barely holding back on his strength, and distantly he worries that he’ll bruise Tony’s body, but a darker part of him growls in pleasure at the idea of fucking his oma so well that it marks him inside and out. 

“Gonna come Tony, gonna fill that sweet ass up with my cum,” he pants, gasping for air as he pistons into Tony. Sweat beads on his brow and rolls down his jaw, dripping onto Tony’s skin. His own chest is shining with exertion and the backs of his thighs are slick with sweat. He licks it from Tony’s throat and growls deep in his chest at the salty sweet taste of his mate. 

“Please! Please alpha, knot me,” Tony begs, eyes fluttering open to meet Bucky’s, wide and pleading. “Knot me,” he demands, “c’mon, do it, do it, do it,” he chants, throwing his head back on a gasp as the last of Bucky’s restraint snaps and he fucks into him hard and fast. 

Tony sobs on each thrust, mouth open around a seemingly endless moan, skin littered with red and purple marks like a sunset. Beneath those his skin is flushed a rosy pink, cheek to chest. 

Bucky chants Tony’s name as he thrusts, a swelling rush of emotion in his chest making his lungs burn, tears blurring his vision as his knot swells. He fucks it into Tony, groaning when he rolls his hips and it pops free, not fully formed yet. It slides in and out, tugging at Tony’s rim, eliciting shouts of agonized pleasure from his mate. 

Shudders ripple over Tony’s body and Bucky can feel his knot is almost fully formed so on the next thrust he drives in deep and grinds there, shouting out a sob as it locks into place. Tony wails and shakes beneath him as he comes, clawing at Bucky’s back, nails scoring deeply into his skin. 

Bucky strips Tony’s cock as he grinds into him, cursing and gasping, tears on his cheeks as he watches Tony fall apart under him. He lets it go a moment later and leans in, teeth bared against Tony’s bonding gland, pausing for just a moment till Tony sobs out  _ please, alpha, claim me! _

Growling deeply he grinds his knot into Tony and bites down, eyes rolling back in his head as the gland breaks open and a rush of hot bonding hormones flood his mouth. He bites deeper, hips fucking into Tony till he comes again between them, sobbing and pleading, insensate with pleasure. 

Nails bite deeply into his back and he rolls his hips as he spills into the hot clutch of Tony’s body, vision whiting out as his cock twitches. Tony’s body clenches down around him and he whines at the stimulation, teeth releasing the flesh he’d bitten down on. He licks gently at the mark, the gland under his tongue releasing healing bacteria so that by the time twilight falls today, the mark will be healed over. 

Tony shudders under him, whining softly as he pants, lips parted around huffs of breath. His mouth is slick and red and so tempting that Bucky can’t help but kiss him, slow and sweet. His cock is still spilling into Tony--it will be for awhile yet now that they’re at least partially bonded. Once Tony is a little more with it he can give Bucky a matching mark on his throat, one that he’ll wear with pride. 

They lay together, panting and clinging to sweat slick skin, lips pressing together messily till eventually Tony shifts and moans at the tug on his rim from Bucky’s still swollen knot. “ _ God _ ,” Tony says, throat working hard, eyes heavily lidded. “I forgot what this feels like,” he admits, smiling faintly as Bucky kisses him. 

Bucky hums softly, “Feels good,” he agrees, ducking away to lick at his mark once more. Tony whines and shifts, probably overstimulated, but he doesn’t tell Bucky to stop. If anything, he clutches harder at Bucky’s hair and holds him there, moaning softly. 

“Gonna let me mark you too?” Tony murmurs, turning his chin to nudge Bucky away from his gland. Bucky goes reluctantly and shifts up onto his elbows to peer down at Tony. Tony lifts a brow and looks pointedly at Bucky’s throat, “Gonna take my mark alpha?” he asks, like that’s even a question, like Bucky would be fool enough to say  _ no _ .

Nodding, he bends his head to the side and shifts so he’s in reach of Tony’s mouth, shuddering at the warmth of Tony’s breath against his skin. “All yours oma,” he whispers, swallowing hard as Tony’s lips press to his skin in a gentle kiss. 

Tony hums and bares his teeth against the skin, “Mine,” he agrees before biting down on Bucky’s bonding gland. 

Bucky shouts, body going tense as ecstatic pleasure and pain radiates through him. It’s like electricity surging through his veins and he sobs as he comes again, hips grinding forward as Tony growls softly and digs his teeth in deeper. 

Tears flow freely down his face, but he doesn’t feel them till long minutes later when the white noise in his head fades. Tony is licking at the gland, purring softly. 

The air is filled with pleased omega scent and bonding hormones and Bucky inhales shakily, shivers running over his skin. Tony doesn’t say anything about his tears, just rubs his hands all over Bucky’s back, scenting him with his wrists as he licks delicately at the fresh bond bite. 

Bucky shivers and whines softly, love and pride and a sense of home filling him. 

He has everything he could ever want here with Tony and Steve. 

Eventually he rolls them over so Tony is laying atop him, his knot still swollen inside his mate. He rubs Tony’s back and rumbles softly with contentment as his oma goes limp, scenting of  _ contentmenthomejoylovefamily _ as he drifts off to sleep. 

Bucky watches him, studies the way his long lashes lay against his coppery skin, how his nostrils flare as he breathes deeply, how his hair is disheveled and sweaty against his brow. 

He’s beautiful. 

When his knot recedes he’s careful to roll Tony onto his back, hushing him when he whines sleepily, soothing him with a kiss to his lips and another to his bonding mark. Bucky wets a washcloth and wipes Tony down gently, tucking him into the sheets to rest while he goes to clean himself off and make them something to eat.

By the time he’s made huge stacks of pancakes, bacon and eggs and carried it upstairs on a tray, Tony is sitting up and rubbing at his eyes, bleary eyed and smiling sweetly. He makes grabby hands at Bucky and purrs happily when Bucky sets the tray in his lap and kisses him thoroughly. 

“Mmm, a knotting  _ and  _ breakfast in bed? I might have to keep you around alpha,” Tony murmurs teasingly against Bucky’s lips. 

Bucky grins and kisses him. 

“I’m yours oma, now and always,” he promises, pulling back to stare Tony in the eye as he reaches up and rubs gently at his bonding mark on Tony’s neck. 

Tony shivers, pupils going wide and Bucky can’t help but lean in for another kiss. 

“Now and always,” he agrees softly, heart thumping painfully in his chest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I hope you enjoyed bucky and tony rebonding!! There is one more chapter to this--for those of you who don't like kid-fic, it might not be for you, and that's totally understandable. If you want to skip the last chapter and have this be the "End" then thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it, and I look forward to your comments!! 
> 
> I saw this on Tumblr and I think it's a lovely idea--feel free to copy and paste into your own fics!!
> 
> Emoji Key for those who don't know what to say in the comments!
> 
> ❤ = you wish you could kudos again  
> 😭 = I got you right in the feels  
> 🔥 = this was so hot!  
> 🐰 = it’s so fluffy!
> 
> For those of you who would like to read the final chapter, I'll see you there!!
> 
> I saw this on Tumblr and I think it's a lovely idea--feel free to copy and paste into your own fics!!
> 
> Emoji Key for those who don't know what to say in the comments!
> 
> ❤ = you wish you could kudos again  
> 😭 = I got you right in the feels  
> 🔥 = this was so hot!  
> 🐰 = it’s so fluffy!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Tony, Steve and Bucky build themselves a family and live happily ever after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHH it's the end!!! I cannot tell you all how much I choked up writing this. I started this story as just smut-- a birthday present to Riot--and ended up here, with a fic about family and the way we build it, and I'm honest to god so in love with this story. I'm so excited for you to read it. Go on now, I'll see you in the comments!

**Six Months Later**

Tony is once again three days deep in his heat, writhing on Steve’s cock while sucking Bucky’s, head dizzy with hormones as he’s fucked from both ends. When Steve knots him, he shouts and grinds it into Tony’s oversensitive prostate, making him mewl around Bucky’s cock. 

Bucky curses and pulls back just enough that his knot won’t lodge in Tony’s mouth and comes down his throat for a long few moments before pulling out and jerking off the rest onto Tony’s face.

Breathless and moaning, Tony collapses down onto his elbows, face pressed messily into Bucky’s hip, shivers running over his body as Steve grinds into him, cock still spilling. Bucky had knotted him half an hour ago and after this one Tony’s pretty sure he’s going to need a bath, a meal, and a nap. 

“Fuck Tony, gonna fill you up so full,” Steve groans, large hands clutching just this side of too tight on Tony’s hips. “Gonna breed you full of my pups,” he gasps, grinding deeper into Tony, the sharp pleasure whiting out his vision and leaving him mewling into Bucky’s skin. 

Christ, his alphas have broken him down into a mewling mess and he can’t do anything other than take it and try to keep up. 

Bucky pets his hair while Steve fucks his knot into Tony, both of them moaning as he spills again, the hot pulse of it inside him making him whine. He feels so full, and still he can feel the slick and cum that had spilled out of him while Steve fucked him dripping down his thighs. 

He’s a mess and he  _ loves  _ it. 

Eventually Steve stills, panting behind Tony and running a hand soothingly up and down his spine. Tony goes limp as Bucky shifts out from under him and in the distance he can hear the water running in the bathroom before Bucky’s back and wiping his face off. 

Tony smiles tiredly and tilts his chin up for a kiss that Bucky gives him without hesitation, smiling as he nuzzles Tony’s cheek.

“Did so good for us oma, so sweet,” he croons, nuzzling into Tony’s sweat damp hair. 

“S good...good alphas,” he slurs, waving a hand weakly when they chuckle fondly at his fucked out voice. 

“Such a sweet oma,” Steve croons, shifting to cover Tony’s body with his own when Tony shivers at the cooling sweat on his skin. Kisses get peppered along his brow and over his cheek before settling in on the bonding gland that holds both Steve and Bucky’s marks. 

Tony nods and sighs, “Good alphas,” he repeats, “mine.” 

His alphas chuckle again, but Tony doesn’t hear it--he’s asleep moments later. 

* * *

The next morning, Tony wakes without the telltale heat under his skin or the itch for a knot and he sighs in relief. As much as he loves being with his alphas during his heat, he’s nearing 53 and it only grows more tiring each time it happens. 

After his bonding with Bucky he’d had a heat a week later, and then another three months after that and then this latest one. He’s pretty sure it’s his body screaming to get bred before he goes through menopause, but he’s also fairly certain that it’s not possible for his old and broken down body to get pregnant. 

He’d done too many drugs, taken too many suppressants and sustained too much damage as Iron Man for his body to handle a pregnancy. 

Still, the last two heats both Steve and Bucky had blabbered about breeding him and knocking him up as they knotted him and it’s been stuck in his brain like a splinter he just can’t dig out. It festers as it lingers, and more and more he finds himself watching families on tv with an ache in his chest. 

He loves Steve and Bucky. 

But something deep in him that he’s tried to ignore for years yearns for  _ more. _

He doesn’t say anything though, not yet. 

He waits a few weeks to see if it’s just the heat hormones, but when Nat and Rhodey are over for a mini team dinner and tell them that they’re thinking about starting a family, something inside Tony aches. 

He wants that. 

He wants little blonde haired and blue eyed babies with Bucky’s chin and Steve’s widows peak. He wants dark haired little minions with his eyes and Steve’s stubborn jaw. 

_ Fuck _

He wants kids. 

* * *

He _maybe_ gets a little twitchy planning on how to tell his alphas, forming and then discarding plans as quickly as they come to him. 

Eventually he settles on making a nice dinner and just talking about it because after all, they’re mature adults who can and  _ should _ have calm and rational discussions about things like this. 

Still, he has two glasses of wine before he brings up the topic, and because of that he does it in the least elegant way possible. 

Steve and Bucky are arguing about what new members of the Young Avengers should be brought into active duty when Tony swallows his mouthful of wine and blurts-- “I want kids.”

It takes a moment, but his alphas fall silent before turning twin looks of confusion on him. 

Steve’s blue eyes pierce him and Tony takes another hasty sip of wine. 

“You want kids?” Steve asks, and then repeats the words silently, as though he’s testing the weight of them in his mouth. 

Bucky frowns and runs a metal finger around the rim of his glass, eliciting a weird ringing sound that sends a shiver down Tony’s spine. 

“Kids huh?” he murmurs, gaze flickering between Tony and Steve for a moment before he nods and leans back in his chair, seemingly at ease. 

Tony nods and reaches out with a shaky hand to grab the wine bottle, emptying it into his glass with a hearty pour. He sips it and Steve leans forward, gaze focused and Tony can almost hear his mind working. 

“Why now?” Steve asks gently, “I’m not saying no, obviously, but what brought this on now?” he asks curiously. 

Tony blushes and ducks his chin, taking a big sip of wine before he answers. 

“Uh, you both seemed pretty mouthy about it these last two heats,” he murmurs, shifting in his chair as he recalls just how much he’d loved hearing his alphas growl their desire for pups in his ear. 

Steve’s brows furrow as he thinks, a blush rising to his creamy golden cheeks as his words must come back to him. Bucky chuckles softly and leans forward, knocking Steve’s shoulder with his, “Man, you ain’t never been subtle about what you want,” he teases before turning his smile to Tony. 

“I can’t lie and say I aint thought about it doll, but you never seemed like you wanted kids,” Bucky murmurs, finger tapping against the rim of his glass. “I’ll gladly fuck a few pups into you,” he murmurs hotly, silver eyes flashing with lust. 

Tony chokes on a whine and gulps more wine, blushing furiously. 

Steve rumbles and the air scents with aroused alpha and Tony shifts, clears his throat and nods, “Lets try and keep  _ that _ under control,” he says, sniffing pointedly so they take his point. Both men nod and shift, sipping water and wine for a few moments till they’re all a little more under control. 

Rubbing a hand over his face, Tony sighs and then smiles tiredly at his alphas, “I’ve had three heats in one year and that’s more than I’ve had since I was 16 and wasn’t on suppressants yet. I took them for a long time, did _ a lot _ of drugs and have used and abused my body for  _ years _ .” His lips form a smile but it feels like a grimace, “I don’t know if I  _ can _ have kids,” he murmurs softly. 

He knows he scents of sadness, but it still surprises him when his alphas leave their seats and come surround him, both of them kneeling at his sides to pet and kiss and soothe him till he’s less upset. 

“Why don’t we make an appointment with a doc and see what’s going on in there before we jump to conclusions doll?” 

The suggestion is softly spoken by Bucky, but Steve nods along firmly, rubbing soothing strokes up and down Tony’s thigh. 

Tony nods slowly and smiles softly, hope kindling in his heart. 

“Yea, okay,” he agrees, heart fluttering when Steve leans up and kisses him sweetly while Bucky nuzzles into the hair at the nape of his neck and scents him gently. 

Steve’s hand shifts up to lay over Tony’s belly, soft but possessive, and the heat in his gaze makes Tony shift, arousal pouring through his veins and slick slipping from between his cheeks, hot and wet against his skin. 

They leave dinner on the table. 

* * *

Steve holds one of Tony’s hands, the other captured in Bucky’s hand while the fertility specialist talks. 

“So, 53 hmm? A little old to be thinking about kids, aren’t we?” she murmurs, peering over the tops of her glasses at Tony with a disapproving look that Steve  _ really  _ doesn’t like, especially when he can scent Tony’s embarrassment and shame a moment later. 

He doesn’t try to quiet his rumble of displeasure, lip curling up at the bitter lemon and gasoline scent of the alpha doctor. 

This was a mistake. 

They should have gone with the omega doctor like Bucky suggested, but Tony had wanted to try this one after reading raving reviews from hundreds of omega patients, and they’d gone along with it because both of them would do anything Tony wanted to make him happy. 

Two seats down, Bucky echoes his displeasure but goes further and rises from his chair, tugging gently on Tony’s hand, lips pressed into a tight white line. “C’mon doll, let's go to a doctor that isn’t an insensitive alpha jackass,” he murmurs gently, but his glare is as sharp as the knives Steve knows he has secreted on his person. 

The doctor huffs and pushes her glasses up her nose, “Excuse me?” she demands and Steve rises to his feet, too, shifting between her and Tony, nodding to Bucky to get Tony out of there. 

“You’re not excused. Your behavior was rude and completely unprofessional,” he tells her in a wintery voice, hands loose by his sides, scent hot and angry. “You just insulted Tony Stark, and we don’t look too kindly on folks who act like you do towards omegas, let alone  _ our _ omega. You can guarantee the Omega Medical Association will be hearing from us,” he spits, turning on his heel before she can say anything else. 

It’s a long, quiet drive home. 

Steve watches sadly as Tony heads into his workshop and locks it down, preventing entry to both he and Bucky. 

Bucky finds him a few hours later in his studio, painting broad swaths of gold and red and black, not really focusing, just letting his anger bleed out onto the canvas. 

Arms encircle his waist and he stiffens for a moment before leaning back into Bucky and sighing heavily, brush dropping from the canvas with a long streak of black. 

“He’s gotta have time to process,” Bucky murmurs against his shoulder, nuzzling into him for a moment before sighing, “I wanna go pull him out of there, but I feel like he needs to come to us,” he says, “yaknow?” 

Steve nods and puts the brush into a holder, sliding his hands over Bucky’s forearms and leaning harder into his embrace with a heavy sigh. “I just know he’s hurting and I want to hold him,” he admits, voice rough and low, tears prickling at the backs of his eyes. 

Bucky kisses his neck and scents him and Steve can’t help the tears that fall. 

“I didn’t think it could hurt so much to love someone,” Bucky whispers, “but christ almighty Stevie I’d fucking die for that man if it meant him never hurting like this again.”

Steve sniffles and nods, “Me too Buck. He’s had too much hurt from this world. I just want…” he sighs heavily and shakes his head, “I just wanna make him happy.”

Bucky hums in agreement and they stay like that, holding onto each other, silent and still till the sun sinks below the horizon and the sky turns a bruised shade of blue. 

Tony comes out of the workshop an hour later with red rimmed eyes and immediately curls up between them on the couch, letting them scent him and cuddle him till the sour scent of self loathing and disappointment leaves his skin. It makes Steve want to cry, seeing his oma so sad, but he draws on the well of strength inside him and instead promises Tony that they’ll try another doctor if that’s what he wants. 

Tony nods and rubs a hand over his face, looking deeply tired and smiles faintly up at him, “I just want to go to bed right now,” he admits, “just…” he hesitates and swallows hard, “hold me?” he asks plaintively, and Steve nods furiously. 

He sweeps Tony into his arms and carries him up to their bedroom, strips him down to his skin and then tucks him into their bed before doing the same to himself. Bucky strips and slides in behind Tony, spooning him up against Steve so he’s cradled between them. 

Safe. 

Protected. 

Loved.

* * *

“Okay Mr. Stark, so we’ve got the results of your hormone potency test, your egg count results and peak fertility dates all here, so why don’t we get started?”

Tony nods and clutches Steve’s hand a little tighter, squished between he and Bucky on the couch in the doctor’s office. Steve already likes this one better--it’s an older male omega who has lines around his eyes when he smiles and a gentle demeanor that reminds Steve of his mother. 

“Great! So, it looks like your fertility hormones are a little low for optimal breeding purposes. I’d like to recommend we start a course of fertility treatments,” the man explains. “Your egg count is low, but that’s to be expected in someone who is older.” He grins genially, “My alpha and I ended up putting off kids till a few years ago and I can commiserate with feeling like you’ve ended up screwing yourself by having a life and a career.”

Beside him, Tony laughs and nods, and Steve relaxes when he smells how calm and happy Tony is. 

“Yea, I uh, haven’t had the most  _ normal _ life,” Tony agrees with a wry grin. 

The doctor laughs and nods, “To say the least.” He glances at the results for a moment and then takes his glasses off, fixing Tony with a frank look. “I won’t lie Tony, you don’t have the best odds of conceiving naturally. It’s not outside the realm of possibility, but it  _ is _ unlikely. I’m very willing to pursue hormone treatment with you for a three month period, but if you haven’t gotten pregnant after that, it’s unlikely to ever happen, and I want to be honest about that with you.” 

Tony nods and sighs, “I figured as much, but I’d like to try.”

The doctor nods and looks at his computer screen, mouth moueing for a moment as he types and taps away. After a few moments he nods and looks back up at them, smiling. “Well, it looks like we can get you in two days from now to start the hormone therapy. Your peak fertility period is three weeks from now so I’d like to see you once a week for shots of hormones. You have less than a dozen viable eggs left, so we only get so many tries naturally before I’ll suggest we try IVF with a surrogate. Is that an option you’d be open to?” he asks, looking them all over searchingly. 

Tony glances to Steve and then Bucky, but they both stay quiet--they’ve had this discussion already and agreed that this would be the first thing they attempted before moving onto egg donation or adoption. 

Steve smiles softly at Tony and leans in to nuzzle at his hair, rubbing soothingly at the back of Tony’s hand with his thumb, inhaling the scent of Tony’s unease and breathing out calm. Tony sighs softly and then nods to the doctor, smiling a little more confidently. 

“Yea, let's do it,” he agrees, squeezing down on Steve’s hand as he speaks. 

It feels a little like jumping from a quinjet with no chute, but then, Steve’s done that and survived, so this should be a piece of cake. 

* * *

Steve holds Tony while he cries, focusing on not gripping him too hard where he’s cradled between Steve’s legs on the bathroom floor. He feels like his guts are being ripped from inside his body as his mate clutches the negative pregnancy test in his hand and weeps. 

They’ve been trying for three months with no success and each disappointment Steve can see wears a little deeper on Tony. 

The bathroom door opens and Bucky hurries in, wide eyed and scenting of upset alpha. Steve jerks his chin to the sink where there’s a glass tucked back against the wall. Bucky nods and fills it before sinking down and sidling up beside Steve so he can get a hand on Tony’s back and tuck his face into the nape of Tony’s neck. 

They’re both distressed for their mate, but Steve is focused very hard on not letting tears of his own fall. His throat is thick with emotion and the only thing he can do is try to exude love and reassurance while he nuzzles into Tony’s hair. 

They stay like that for a long time, their communal sorrow eventually muting with love and affection and exhaustion. When Tony is limp in his arms, Steve carries him to their bed and cradles him, one of his hands clutching tightly to Bucky’s. 

Tony mewls in his sleep and nuzzles closer to Steve’s chest, and just like that, the dam around his emotions shatters and he breaks. Tears course down his cheeks silently and his breath hitches as he tries to keep quiet. The last thing he wants is to wake Tony. 

Bucky lifts their joined hands and brushes his lips against Steve’s wrist, scenting him with  _ lovereassurancehopefamily _ till his tears slow. Smiling softly, Bucky kisses his knuckles and releases his hand to wipe away the tears on his cheek. 

“We’ll get through this Stevie,” he promises, “all of us together,” he whispers, “till the end of the line.”

Steve’s chest shudders at the familiar words and tears spring to his eyes anew. 

“Till the end of the line,” he echoes softly. 

* * *

Doctor Shanahan smiles at them softly, but Tony can see the apology in his eyes already.

“I’m sorry Tony, but I think it’s time to consider IVF with a surrogate,” he murmurs, “we partner with a reputable agency that has been certified by the Omega Medical Association.”

Tony nods and swallows hard, “Uh yea, we’re uh, we’re all on the same page,” he agrees. 

Doctor Shanahan smiles and nods, “Good. I truly am sorry we weren’t able to get your baby the way you wanted, but I promise I’ll do everything in my power to help you find the best path forward. We’re a team,” he promises, exuding comfort and trust in such strong waves it makes Tony’s throat go tight. 

The last time he’d smelled something so familial and warm had been from his mother. 

Smiling shakily, he nods and squeezes Steve’s hand. “Sounds good doc,” he murmurs, voice hoarse with emotion. 

Doctor Shanahan smiles softly, “Very good.” His face shifts, brows lifting as he slaps his palms against his desk, “Well then, why don’t we get you set up with a surrogate aid today and then from there you’ll work with the agency to find the perfect surrogate for your family.”

Hope flairs through Tony’s chest and he grins. 

_ Their family  _

* * *

“I like this one,” Bucky murmurs, pulling up a profile on the holo display. Tony looks up from his own data pad, peering over his glasses at the surrogate profile Bucky’s interested in. He’s been quiet while Steve and Tony have debated profile after profile, soothing both when feathers were ruffled and making sure that any sharp words that were spoken were softened. 

The woman in the picture is beautiful, with large grey blue eyes that remind Tony of Bucky’s eyes. Her hair is dark like Tony’s and there are fine lines around her eyes from smiling like Steve has and a small cleft in her chin like Tony’s mother had and for a moment he thinks that if her hair were blonde she’d be a dead ringer for his Aunt Christina. 

He reads over her medical info quickly—the agency screens thoroughly for genetic abnormalities, disease or long term conditions that could endanger a baby, so he’s not worried about that. 

Her hobbies include; raising and training steeplechase horses, reading, kickboxing, yoga, gardening, knitting, and hunting. 

Her “about me” section is a veritable treasure trove of information. 

_ I am a trauma therapist who uses retired horses to provide therapy and companionship for veterans, survivors of abuse, and LGBTQ youth.  _

_ My favorite book is Love in the Time of Cholera.  _

_ I have three children of my own and love being able to help other families become whole.  _

_ On weekends my wife and children and I love to go for long walks and take pictures together. We pack a lunch and sit in the sun and read aloud from our book we’ve chosen together and enjoy being a little family.  _

_ I can’t bake worth a damn—my wife can tell you how badly her birthday cake turned out last year—it’s the first time I’ve made her cry over cake and it’s hopefully the last!  _

_ I was an orphan and I know how painful it can be to feel utterly alone and unwanted in this world. I’ve done everything I can to help families come together, to find each other however they can, and I hope you’ll allow me to help you too.  _

By the time he’s done reading the profile, Tony’s throat is thick and his eyes are watery with unshed tears. Steve’s broad hand cups his knee and then strokes up and down his thigh, soothing him gently. 

He blinks back tears and smiles softly at his alpha and then leans over to kiss Bucky’s cheek, nuzzling into his throat for a kiss there too. “She’s perfect,” he murmurs, hope and joy and love crackling in his chest like fireworks. 

Bucky beams and blushes, scenting of proud alpha and Tony can’t help but chuckle softly and kiss him again. 

Their family is starting to come together.

* * *

Tony sits back in the gliding rocker they’ve chosen for the nursery and rocks slowly, staring out the window at the lake, the stuffed bear Steve had bought for the baby in his grasp. He pets its fur slowly, contemplative and a little melancholy.

With the hormone treatments he’s been more emotional lately, and it’s left him prone to moody periods where he wants nothing more than to be alone. He knows it worries Bucky and Steve, but it’s something he needs, and damn if his alphas aren’t understanding and supportive. 

The walls of the nursery aren’t painted yet because they haven’t been able to decide on a theme they all agree on, beyond keeping it gender neutral. 

Tony doesn’t have very many memories of his nursery--he knows it was painted blue, he remembers it always being that color as a child, even after it was converted into his childhood bedroom. He knows his mother designed it, but not much more than that. 

He misses her a lot these days. 

This whole process of becoming a parent has left him aching to speak to his mother again, to see her beautiful face and hear her voice. 

Cursing his hormones, he presses his face into the soft fur of the teddy bear and cries, heart longing for the gentle embrace of his mother. 

“Tony?”

Steve’s soft voice is followed by a scent of concern and love and Tony can’t help but smile weakly into the fur of the bear. He hums in acknowledgement and turns his head till one eye is exposed and he can peer at Steve. 

He’s lingering near the door, full pink lips turned down in a worried frown, entire body tense with the need to come and comfort Tony, but he’s holding himself back out of respect for Tony’s boundaries and it makes him fall in love a little more with his alpha. 

A soft needy sound slips from his throat and he holds out a hand in supplication, sighing happily when Steve crosses the room and sinks to his knees beside Tony, taking the hand he’s been offered. 

Steve presses kisses over Tony’s knuckles and then flips it and kisses the gland on his wrist, scenting him comfortingly, lips warm and gentle against Tony’s skin. Tony sighs happily and closes his eyes, sinking into the comfort provided by his alpha. 

“What’s goin on in that lovely head of yours?” Steve asks softly, lips brushing against Tony’s skin as he speaks. 

Tony sighs heavily. 

“Miss my mom,” he admits quietly, squeezing onto his bear for comfort. 

Steve hums and scents of  _ comfortfamilyadoration _ and it makes Tony smile softly, sniffle against the tears that are in his eyes. “I miss mine too,” Steve tells him, “Buck misses his ma too. I wish we could see them sometimes, especially now.” He kisses Tony’s wrist again, “Sometimes I lay awake at night and watch you sleep Tony, scared out of my damn head that something is gonna happen to you.” 

At this Tony opens his eyes and shifts his head so he can stare at Steve, study the look on his face. He looks sad and scared, eyes so bright they shine and it breaks Tony’s heart a little. Steve catches him looking and smiles softly, “I wish I could give you your mom Tony, you know I’d give you the whole damn world if I could.”

Tony nods and leans in for a kiss, nuzzling Steve’s nose with his for a moment before smiling softly and resting his brow against Steve’s. “I know. You’re a good alpha,” he whispers, “my sweet alpha.”

Steve rumbles in pleasure and kisses him, scenting of bitter grief and heartache, but love and pride and family too. They stay there like that for awhile, trading kisses and offering comfort till Tony gets sore from bending over and convinces Steve to trade seats and then sits in his lap, purring happily as Steve rocks them. 

Bucky finds them an hour later, fast asleep in each other’s arms. 

He shows them the pictures the next morning and Tony immediately has FRIDAY print a copy for their baby book. He wants their child to know just how much their parents love each other, how much they were wanted, how their little family came together. 

He wants his children to have everything he never did. 

Watching Bucky and Steve argue about baby names and wrestle each other into headlocks on the lawn, he thinks that he’s the luckiest omega ever. 

* * *

Tony is so fucking nervous he feels like he could puke. 

He’s out on the front porch, pacing a hole into the floor as they wait for their surrogate candidate to show up. Happy had picked her up in the city and FRIDAY says they’re only a few minutes away, and with each second that passes, the knot in his stomach grows. 

“Doll, you’re gonna snap if you don’t quit pacing,” Bucky murmurs, snagging Tony’s wrist in his metal hand to reel him in, arm winding around Tony’s waist to pin him against his broad chest. He opens his mouth to protest and is cut off by Bucky’s lips against his own, eyes fluttering shut a moment later. 

Heat presses up against his back and he groans when Steve’s lips press to the bonding marks on his throat. He’s pressed between his alphas, surrounded by the comforting scent of his bondmates, and slowly, the tension in his body starts to flow away. 

When Bucky pulls away he whines softly and chases his lips, opening his eyes in frustration when Bucky laughs softly. “We got company in a second doll, thought you’d like the chance to calm down,” he murmurs, brow lifting teasingly. 

Swallowing hard, Tony nods--he appreciates Bucky and Steve keeping their senses on alert, protecting him. 

By the time the town car rolls around the curve, Tony’s sweater is laying flat and his hair looks less like he was ravaged by his alphas. He still scents faintly of arousal, but by the time their surrogate steps out of the car and smiles at them, it’s faded and been replaced by nervousness. 

She’s even prettier in person. 

She’s Tony’s height and built solidly--he can see the ripple of muscle in her thighs as she climbs the stairs, long dark hair braided and hanging over her shoulder. She’s elegant and when he inhales discreetly, she scents of sweet grass and horses and honey. It’s instantly comforting and he finds himself relaxing a hair, offering his hand to her despite his discomfort with touching unknown people.

Her smile grows as she takes his hand, “It’s nice to finally meet you Mr. Stark,” she murmurs, voice melodic and sweet. Her gaze flicks to Steve and then Bucky before coming back to him, mouth tilting with a wry little smile. “I didn’t realize I would be meeting the Avengers, I should have brought my son’s backpack for y’all to sign,” she teases, “he’d never believe me otherwise.”

Tony laughs and nods, “Well, if we move forward, maybe we can all meet,” he offers, shoulders loosening when she grins and nods. 

She steps to the side and offers her hand to Steve, “It’s a pleasure to meet you Mr. Rogers,” she says with a warm smile. She’s just as warm with Bucky and Tony can scent the surprise from his mate--he’s more used to people being wary of his arm and his reputation, but it seems this woman has none of those fears. 

“I’m Rebecca Taylor,” she tells them by way of introduction--the matching system doesn’t reveal names to protect the identity of those involved (not that it could have stopped Tony from finding out who she was if he wanted), “But you can call me Becca,” she offers. 

“It’s wonderful to meet you Becca,” Tony murmurs, “we uh, have some lunch prepared on the back porch, are you hungry?” 

Becca nods and follows sedately along behind Tony as he leads their little group out onto the glassed in half of the back porch. It’s Steve’s studio for painting and they’d all decided it was a soothing place to have this meeting, though Steve had been bashful about having his paintings in plain sight. 

Some of his more recent ones are propped against the walls and Becca pauses, admiring them before glancing at the trio and smiling hesitantly, “Would the artist mind if I looked a little closer?” she asks kindly, gaze darting between their trio. 

Steve nods slowly, cheeks pink with a blush and Tony bites his lip to hide his grin at how bashful his big strong alpha is. “Of course, please,” Steve agrees, waving a hand to the canvases. 

Becca hums in delight and approaches the artwork with purpose, crouching down to inspect them with a critical eye and Tony can scent how nervous Steve is so he links their fingers together and leans into him, smiling softly when Steve looks at him wide eyed.

“Why don’t you go talk to her about your art?” Tony suggests, “Bucky and I can bring out the cold food stuff.”

Steve hesitates for a moment and then nods and peels himself away from Tony. Tony grins softly at the determined set of his shoulders as he walks forward, almost like he’s approaching battle. His poor sweet alpha is still so much of that skinny young man that thought no one was interested in Steve Rogers. 

He waves to Bucky and they go into the house to get out the food that’s been waiting in the fridge. Fresh fruit, vegetables, quiche made by Bucky, a chocolate cake made by Steve for dessert, and plenty of sandwiches to keep both their guest full and take care of the two super soldier metabolisms at the table. 

When they come back Steve and Becca are enthusiastically discussing art, hands waving, with huge grins on their faces. Tony’s heart aches a little to see his love so happy. When Steve catches sight of them he blushes a little, but keeps on talking as he guides Becca back to the table. 

Bucky and Tony fill plates and pass them around before settling in and listening to the conversation. Tony isn’t an art savant like Steve is, but he does appreciate good art when he sees it and contributes to the conversation when he can. 

As they eat the conversation flows from art to Becca’s work as a therapist, with Tony contributing a story of the time he’d ridden a horse as a child and fallen and broken his arm. He leaves out the part where Howard had made him get back on with said broken arm and ride till dark, but he senses that Becca knows there’s an underlying current to the story--she’s a keen woman, whip smart and perceptive and normally that would make Tony uneasy, but there’s something else that’s soothing about her that keeps his back from going up. 

After lunch Bucky takes Becca down the path to see his garden and meet the goats and chickens he’s cared for, and when they come back nearly an hour later Tony’s almost certain that Bucky’s been crying. He doesn’t scent like he’s upset though, if anything he’s smiling and calm, and once more Tony is certain that they’ve picked the right surrogate for them. 

Tony takes her up to the nursery, Alpine at his heels, and crosses his arms nervously over his chest as she turns in place and admires the room. 

They’d finally settled on a color scheme and a theme; the walls are a gorgeous slate grey that reminds Tony of Bucky’s eyes, with one wall a deep eggplant color. A silver weeping willow has been painted onto the dark wall with characters from his and his alpha’s favorite books painted there too. 

The White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland is there, the Cheshire Cat hiding in the branches while Alice reads from a book to a skinny Steve at its trunk. 

Phileas Fogg flies high in the sky with Bucky in his hot air balloon, traversing the earth to discover its wonders, clouds floating around him, birds flying in a V in the distance. 

Wild Things carouse with a young Tony, frolicking through the woods, playing a game of hide and seek that Tony had played by himself with his imaginary friends many times as a child. 

Becca’s fingers trace over the characters, a fond, sad little smile on her face. 

“Your Steve did this?” she asks softly, smiling at him over her shoulder. 

_ Your Steve _

Tony never tires of hearing that. 

Tony nods, “He’s the artist in this family. Bucky can actually draw really well too, but he’s even more shy about it than Steve is,” he says with a soft laugh. Pointing to the trio of women standing, watching over the scene, “Those are our mothers. He drew them and painted them,” Tony tells her, smiling softly. 

Alpine meows insistently and Tony crouches down to pick her up, smiling softly when he nuzzles at his chin and purrs happily. She’s been curious about the nursery and he’s wondered how she’ll do with the kids, but she’s a sweet girl so he’s not too worried. 

“They’re not with us?” Becca asks softly, eyes warm and kind when he looks over to where she’s running her fingers over the enormous collection of books in the room. 

Tony shakes his head, “Steve and Bucky’s parents died a very long time ago.” He laughs softly and shakes his head again, “I guess it’s been a long time since mine did too,” he murmurs, smiling wryly at her, “Sometimes I forgot how old I am. I still feel like I’m 25 and fearless some days, and then my back hurts or my breathing gets difficult and I remember that I’m an old broken down omega,” he tells her, voice just barely bitter. 

Becca steps close and hesitates for a moment before offering her hand. He takes it and sighs softly when her warm omega scent surrounds him, comforts him. She smiles gently and rubs her thumb over his scent gland on his wrist, a platonic offering of comfort and affection. 

“I think that you’re allowed to feel upset at your body,” she murmurs, “I’m getting older too and I’ve been thinking that this will be my last surrogacy. It’s hard to reconcile what our bodies become when we’re still able to get up and go and do the things we love--it feels like a betrayal when we start to slow down or ache.” 

With a wry smile she laughs, “But I can tell you one thing,” she says, “the best days of your life are still coming Tony. Your alphas adore you and each other. Your children will run you into the ground and you’ll think  _ why in the hell did I do this _ and then they’ll call you  _ oma _ and you’ll understand that everything you’ve ever done was beans compared to being their parent.” 

Tony swallows hard around the lump in his throat, eyes burning as he struggles not to cry. Sniffling, he nods and smiles at her, “Your patients must love you,” he murmurs with a wet laugh, “I feel like I just got a free therapy session.” 

Becca laughs, head falling back to expose the silver scarring on her throat where her Alpha had claimed her and Tony shudders at the easy exposure of her mark. She’s so light and free, open and kind and he knows, with every part of his being, that she’s the perfect surrogate for them. 

He surprises them both by hugging her, but she’s quick to reciprocate and holds onto him tightly, her sweet fresh cut grass scent warm and soothing. She kisses his cheek when he pulls away and he blushes--he’s not used to having an omega... _ friend? _ Is that what she is? 

Looking around the room once more, Becca nods, looking satisfied. “I can’t wait to help your children be born into such a loving family,” she tells him, taking his hand to squeeze it once more. 

Joy fills him to overflowing and he grins at her widely before tugging on her hand and leading her back downstairs to share the good news with his alphas. They break out some sparkling cider and eat cake as the sun starts to set over the mountains, 

Tony snuggles into Steve’s side and holds Bucky’s hand as Becca waves goodbye, her grin bright in the fading light. They watch the town car disappear around the corner and stay there, together, listening as the crickets chirp, watching the fireflies dance in the dark. 

“We’re gonna be parents,” Bucky murmurs, sounding awed, and Steve laughs wetly and reaches behind Tony to squeeze the nape of Bucky’s neck, “Sure are Buck,” he murmurs, voice thick with emotion. 

“Sure are.”

* * *

Two weeks after the first implantation of Tony’s eggs and Steve and Bucky’s sperm, they find out that Becca is successfully pregnant with twins. 

Steve cries. 

So does Bucky. 

Tony has a moment to laugh at his alpha’s display of emotion before he too is crying and is pulled into a nest of pillows, blankets and alphas (and Alpine) for the whole day. 

It’s a good day. 

* * *

Three weeks later Steve, Bucky and Tony go to Becca’s farm to meet her family. 

This time when Tony tries riding a horse, he doesn’t fall off. 

They eat a hearty meal that they made together, and Tony’s never experienced such utter chaos as he has having three kids help make a meal, but even though the kitchen counters and floors end up messy, no one seems to care or be upset. 

There’s no raised voices except in laughter.

There’s no arguing, except over who gets the last slice of cake. 

(Janet, Becca’s alpha takes that prize with a gleeful laugh at the hangdog expressions from her children and Tony’s alphas.)

He can’t imagine a life like this. 

It’s perfect. 

Janet finds him after dinner out at the paddock, gently stroking the nose of one of the horses--identified by their bridle as  _ Lando _ , a detail that had made Tony snort with delighted laughter. 

“You alright Tony?”

He smiles over at her and nods, “I’m just not used to families being like this,” he tells her softly. 

“Loud?” she suggests.

He laughs and shakes his head, “I mean that too. But no,  _ loving _ ,” he explains with a bitter smile, “I didn’t have the most...loving family.” He pauses and then sighs, “My mother was, of course, but in little ways that wouldn’t anger my father and have him accusing her of babying me. She wasn’t allowed to hug me very much when he was around. He thought it would make me weak, make me into an  _ omega _ .”

Janet scoffs, “Sounds like he was bigoted prick, if you don’t mind me saying.”

Tony stares at her in surprise and then laughs, “I don’t, you’re right. He was a self entitled jackass and a shitty dad. But seeing you guys, knowing what kind of families Steve and Bucky grew up with, it makes me want to do everything I can to be a good parent to our children.”

Janet smiles softly and pats Lando’s neck, “That’s the biggest part about being a parent--is wanting to be the best you can be, because kids, they deserve the best. They’re innocent and tiny and need us to take care of them, so if you aren’t sure you can be kind, you shouldn’t do it,” she murmurs. 

Her gaze sweeps over him and her mouth quirks, “Do you mind if I’m honest?” she asks softly. 

Tony nods, “I’d prefer it.”

“I think you’re going to be a wonderful parent Tony. It’s obvious that you’re trying to learn from your parent’s mistakes and that you want to be a good partner to your alphas. You’re going to struggle because that’s what all new parents do. You’re going to be exhausted and snippy and moody, and that’s ok. Remember to take time to yourself and enjoy some personal time with your alphas away from the kids. Let them take care of you and in turn, take care of them. Having kids, it’s not a sprint, it’s life long relay race between you and your partners. Sometimes you’re gonna drop the baton and you’re gonna fuck up, but if you can forgive each other and pull each other back up onto your feet, you’re gonna make it.”

She smiles softly and nudges his elbow with hers, “You got this.”

Tony blinks back tears and smiles at her, blushing a little. “Thank you,” he whispers, leaning in to press his face to Lando’s cheek, inhaling the sweet scent of grass and horse. 

They stand there for awhile, silent but understanding, till Becca calls out to them from the back porch and Steve and Bucky emerge from the shadows to find him. 

As they drive back home Tony thinks that yea, maybe they  _ do _ have this. 

* * *

Tony almost misses the first sonogram--the meeting in Shanghai goes long and instead of sitting on his private jet and waiting, he suits up and pushes it to max capacity, sweat cold on the back of his neck as he flies, stomach in knots. 

He can’t miss this.

He can’t.

He doesn’t.

Steve, Bucky and Becca all greet him happily when he runs into the room, disheveled and near tears, anxious and scared that he’s too late. His alphas surround him quickly, scenting him and calming his fears till his hands aren’t shaking and he’s smiling. 

He has the best alphas.

Becca holds out her hand and smiles softly when he takes it, fingers icy from nerves. She doesn’t say anything about it though, just holds onto him as the doctor squirts gel onto her gently swollen belly. He knows he’s squeezing too tight, but still, Becca doesn’t say anything, just rubs her thumb gently against his scent gland on his wrist, soothing him. 

Steve and Bucky are pressed close behind him, their warm, spicy alpha scents calming. 

A few moments pass in total silence and then--

The rapid thrum of two hearts beating fills the room and Tony laughs, breathless and shocked. 

The screen shows two tiny beans and his heart lurches--those are his babies. 

A sob comes from behind him and he releases Becca’s hand to find Steve weeping, clinging tightly to Bucky who is also crying, albeit quietly. The scent of joy fills the room and Tony finds his own cheeks wet too. 

He’s quickly enveloped by his alphas and held tightly. 

“Those are our babies Buck, our  _ family _ ,” Steve whispers, voice hoarse and raw with emotion. He squeezes Tony’s hip, “Our oma, gave us babies,” he sobs, smiling as tears run down his ruddy cheeks. 

Tony’s heart does a funny flip in his chest because he’d worried, honestly, in the darkest hours of the night and in the deepest parts of his heart, that Steve and Bucky wouldn’t think of these children as his because he’d been unable to carry them. It’s probably a silly fear, but silly fears are nothing new to him. 

What’s new is having two alphas who love him so deeply they’d fail to give a damn about Tony’s inability to carry their babies. 

Bucky kisses Tony’s brow and he can feel the wetness on his skin from Bucky’s tears. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me doll,” he whispers hoarsely, “ain’t really lived a day in full that didn’t have you in it. And now--” he breaks off on a sharp sob, burying his face in Tony’s hair. “Now I have more than I ever coulda dreamed of.” 

Eventually they stop crying and share a few embarrassed looks as they wipe off their faces and gather themselves before turning back to the doctor and Becca who are smiling softly at them. 

Tony’s warm with pride when his alphas go and kiss Becca on the cheek gently, thanking her in soft, kind words for helping them have their family. 

Tony’s glad he made it. 

* * *

Feeling the babies move is something that takes Steve’s breath away. It’s such a weird feeling, but knowing that those are his children, it makes his throat grow thick with emotion every time. Bucky tries to tease him about how emotional he gets, but Steve just takes it and smiles knowingly when Bucky goes and pulls Tony into their nest after Becca’s been around. 

They’re all emotional these days. 

Some days aren’t happy ones--Tony has deeply rooted fears that their children won’t bond with him because he didn’t carry them, and Bucky worries he’ll hurt them with his arm, and Steve worries that he’s going to drop them because they’re gonna be so tiny and he’s so huge and his body is so powerful…

  
  


It would be so easy to hurt one of the people he loves. 

And yet, he has utter certainty in his heart that they’re all gonna be okay. 

He watches Bucky and Tony sleeping and his chest grows so tight it feels like he’s small again, asthma choking his lungs, except this time it’s love that’s got him struggling to breathe. He watches his family and lets the tears fall on his cheeks, wiping them away as he exhales shakily, overjoyed. 

He can’t believe this is his life sometimes. 

He’s been looking for something like this--no, he’s been looking for  _ exactly _ this his whole life, and now that he has it, it feels like a weight’s been lifted from his shoulders. 

He’s not  _ just _ Captain America anymore, he’s a man, with a family and a future. 

When he falls asleep, it’s with a smile on his face and his omega in his arms, his mate at his back and their beloved Alpine curled up on the pillow above his head. Everything he’s ever needed, right here in his arms and his heart. 

* * *

The birth of their children comes like a thief in the night; unexpected and sudden. 

Bucky and Steve are on a mission in Montana and Tony’s the one woken by FRIDAY’s alert that a call is coming from Janet. Tony’s heart is in his throat when he answers, hands shaking as they dig into the duvet. 

“It’s time,” Janet tells him. “We’re on the way to the hospital,” she tells him calmly. “She’s only a few centimetres dilated, so you’re in no rush. We’ll see you there?”

As if that’s a real question. 

Tony’s throat is so dry it takes him a few swallows before he can answer affirmatively. Janet laughs, not unkindly, at his hoarse voice and obvious nerves. 

“Hey Tony?”

“Uh huh?”

“Deep breaths, you’re gonna be a parent soon.”

He exhales wetly, tears in his eyes and joy trying to crack open his chest. “I’m gonna be a parent,” he whispers, trembling fingers rising to press into his numb lips. 

He sits there for a long moment till FRIDAY chirps at him and urges him into movement. 

With a wild laugh he has her send off an alert to Steve and Bucky, hastily pulling on his clothes. He careens around the house, gathering up the baby seat, diaper bag, and everything else they’ve stored in the nursery for exactly this moment. 

He’s in the car driving toward the city when Steve and Bucky call, frantic with worry. They’ve planned for this--even though it’s come a few weeks early. The quinjet they’d taken is outfitted to reach Mach 4 and will have them back in under an hour. FRIDAY alerts all airspace ahead of them that they’ll be travelling at top speed and projects their flight plan. 

SHIELD even offers two jets to escort them, and none of them say no.

Tony’s foot rests heavily on the gas, hands steady and sure as he drives, heart thrumming in his throat. All those years driving recklessly and piloting the suit through battle have his senses on high alert as he winds through the woods and zooms toward the city. 

He gets there as they’re putting Becca in the private birthing suite he’d had built for her, hands shaking as he sprints down the hallway, skin coated in cold sweat. 

She’s fine, of course, but he can’t stop himself from hurrying to her side to take her outstretched hand in his and scent her, accepting her gentle comforting scenting in return. His pulse slows a little and she grins at him, “You ready?”

Tony laughs unevenly and swipes at his eyes, “I feel like I should be asking  _ you  _ that,” he jokes, “you’re the one doing all the hard work here.”

Grinning, she shakes her head, “I’m a pro at this,” she assures him, “You’ve got the hard job when this is all over.”

He nods, because yea, he really does.

Her hand squeezing around his draws his gaze back up to her face, tension in his shoulders releasing when she smiles warmly at him. “You’re going to be an amazing oma Tony. You and your mates are going to love these babies with so much force they’re going to hate you a little for all the baby pictures and videos you’ll have to show their mates someday. They’ll scowl and grumble about you being protective, but one day, they’re going to tell you how much it meant to know how loved they were.”

Becca smiles and squeezes his hand, “These are the luckiest babies in the world.”

Tony can’t really speak, because something has set up residence in his throat (his heart he suspects), so he nods instead and kisses the back of Becca’s hand. The fine lines around her eyes deepen as she grins at him and leans over to return the gesture with a kiss to his cheek. 

The doctor comes by and checks on Becca, nodding in a pleased manner as she lowers the sheet. “You’re looking great Becca. Just about 5 centimeters. Not too long now.”

  
  


Janet sits on the other side of the bed and pulls out a deck of cards with a grin, “Poker?” she offers and Tony laughs, the knot in his stomach loosening. He nods and Janet deals the cards, and that’s how Steve and Bucky find them nearly an hour later when they burst into the room, sweaty and scared looking. 

In a smooth movement Janet shifts out of the way to make room for the two huge men, smiling softly as they embrace Tony and scent him thoroughly. The last tension in Tony’s shoulders drops away now that his mates are here--his heart feels lighter and though his hands shake, it's from elation and not fear.

This time when the doctor stops in, Becca is at 10 centimeters and is declared “ready to push.” 

Tony’s never been so scared in his whole goddamn life. 

The doctors and nurses move around in the huge room (designed by Tony to hold all of them so no one would be left out of this moment), gathering supplies as Becca scoots down the bed, sweat already beading on her brow. 

Janet moves to stand behind her, taking the hand of her wife as she’s instructed to start pushing. 

The next half hour passes in a blur and one moment Tony is watching Becca push, and the next he’s hearing the first cry of his daughter, followed closely by her brother. He’s vibrating like a tuning fork that’s been tapped, the air around him and his alphas saturated with fear and love and hope and joy. 

Peripherally he notes Janet and the nurse mopping Becca’s brow and getting an IV into her arm to get fluids into her system. The babies are passed between nurses and wiped down, and then suddenly he has an armful of squirming baby and it’s like the whole world falls away. 

Bucky is on his left, metal fingers cupping the tiny skull while Steve is on his right, one giant hand covering his daughter’s belly. She’s a tiny thing, angry and squalling, red in the face and with a thick mop of dark brown hair. 

She’s the most beautiful thing Tony’s ever seen. 

And then Steve is given their son and  _ that’s _ the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen, but how can it be, because then Bucky holds their daughter and they stand together, silent and weeping, clustered together as a family. 

Whole, finally. 

The babies smell like Tony did as a child--sunshine and honey and then something spicy--Tony thinks it’s Bucky’s clove scent and  _ oh _ there’s notes of Steve’s clean ice smell too. 

Smiling so widely his cheeks hurt, he looks up at his alphas, heedless of the tears on his face and laughs wetly when they have expressions on their faces like they’ve been stung by one of Natasha’s widow’s bites. 

He’ll never  _ ever  _ forget this moment. 

* * *

Bucky stands over the cribs in the dark, watching the slow rise and fall of his children’s chests. Alpine sleeps in the corner of the room, a silent sentry, protective of her babies, of their family. Bucky thanks the universe for finding her, for letting him bring her home to be part of their family so she can watch over his children. 

_ His  _ children. 

Christ, who would have ever thought. 

Certainly not him. 

He inhales and lets their baby scent soothe him, calm the shakes in his hands. 

A hand slips into his and he looks over to find a sleepy Tony at his side. “Couldn’t sleep?” he asks softly, voice rough with sleep. 

Bucky nods and turns his gaze back to the babies. “Had a dream Hydra took ‘em,” he whispers, rage in the back of his throat bitter as he tries to swallow it away and forget his nightmare. 

Tony squeezes his hand and leans into him till Bucky’s forced to let his hand go and wrap his arm around Tony’s shoulder like he’s been angling for. Purring softly, Tony wraps his arms around Bucky’s waist and sighs softly. 

“They’re safe,” Tony promises, yawning heavily. “Safe as houses.”

Bucky grins and nuzzles his nose into Tony’s hair, “Houses ain’t all that safe doll.”

Tony pokes him in the side, “My houses are.” He tilts his chin and peers earnestly up at Bucky and something in his chest pangs at the love in Tony’s eyes. “My babies and my family are safe,” he assures Bucky, “I’d kill anyone who tried to hurt any of you,” he swears lowly, and Bucky believes him. 

He kisses Tony and they stand there watching the babies for a little longer before Bucky guides a half asleep Tony back into their bed. Steve shifts and presses up against Tony’s back, making a soft contented sound that makes Bucky grin sleepily.

He watches Tony for a while and thinks that if there is anything of Hydra left out there they should be  _ far _ more afraid of Tony than they are of  _ him _ because he knows without a doubt in his heart that his oma would burn the fucking world down for his family. 

And Steve and Bucky would be right there with him, gasoline and matches in hand. 

Rumbling in pleased alpha notes, he sinks into the embrace of his family and gets what sleep he can before little Sarah and James are awake and yelling to be fed. 

* * *

Steve hates this--he’s away from his family and he doesn’t  _ want  _ to be, but NATO had asked for his presence in this remote corner of the world to try and aid in the capture of a genocidal former leader of Uzbekistan, and both Tony and Bucky had assured him that they would be okay without him for a few days. 

Part of him hurts at that--he doesn’t want them to suffer without him, of course, but he wants to be wanted,  _ needed _ . He’s their mate and the babies’ father...they  _ should _ need him. 

It’s silly. 

But he feels it nonetheless. 

He grows more snappish as the days pass without catching their quarry and he even catches himself growling at Natasha--though he knows she’s in much the same boat as he is--Rhodey is at home and carrying their first child, so he  _ knows _ she understands what he’s feeling, but he can’t fucking help it. 

He just wants to go home. 

It takes three more days before they finally catch the man and fly him back to Geneva to be put on trial at the UN. 

He and Natasha fly back to the states at top speed, both of them silent and anxious to get back to their mates. 

She hovers over the cabin and he drops to the ground, shield on his back and duffle bag in his hand, offering her a wave before he’s hurrying into the house. He slings his bag aside and calls out softly for Tony and Bucky, inhaling deeply the scent of his mates and his children. 

He pauses and stares at the utter chaos around him. 

The babies are just shy of nine months old and already walking-- _ I started walking at eight months, so no surprises there _ \--Tony had told them when it happened, and he can see the evidence of that mobility everywhere. 

Furniture has been knocked askew and when he steps into the kitchen he stifles a laugh at the mountain of unwashed dishes in the sink and the food splattered on the table and floor. He unstraps his shield and sets it against the wall before wandering into the playroom to find just as much chaos and mess there. 

The trail of dirty clothes and toys leads upstairs and when he pushes open his bedroom door he pauses and just stares. 

Tony and Bucky are shirtless and cuddled into a nest with their son and daughter; Tony purring happily in his sleep. 

Tears prick at the corners of his eyes and Steve’s heart lurches with love. 

A soft meow at his ankles draws his gaze down to where Alpine is rubbing against him purring happily. He picks her up gently and pets her head, turning away from his family. “C’mon girl, let's clean up and let our family sleep a little longer,” he whispers. 

She meows and licks his hand, seemingly content with this plan. 

Alpine follows him around the house as he cleans and straightens the house, purring happily from atop her tree branch in the kitchen as he stirs the sauce Tony had taught him how to make for a perfect lasagna. 

By the time the lasagna is bubbling in the oven he’s feeling more centered and relaxed. He hears footsteps on the stairs and turns to find a sleepy Tony carrying Sarah in his arms. His daughter peers at him sleepily and then burbles happily, leaning forward with a squealing laugh. 

Joy reverberating in his heart, he catches her and swings her into the air, her bright laughter tinkling in the air. He pulls her close and nuzzles at her soft brown hair, inhaling her familiar scent. Grinning at Tony he reaches out and pulls him close too, nuzzling at his mate, inhaling the scent of his family. 

Sarah pats his face with a chubby hand, dark eyes bright and curious. “Papa,” she says, clear as day, and Steve’s heart stutters, shock pouring through his veins. 

He turns wide eyes on Tony, “Did she just--”

Tony laughs and reaches out to ruffle Sarah’s hair, “That’s my smart baby girl,” he croons. 

“What she do now?”

They turn at Bucky’s rough voice and Steve smiles proudly, “Called me Papa!” 

Bucky grins and kisses Steve’s cheek and then Sarah’s, James rubbing sleepily at his eyes in Bucky’s arms. “That’s my girl,” he murmurs. 

“Is it the first time she’s done that?” Steve asks while Tony stirs the sauce. 

Bucky nods, “Looks like she was waiting for you to get back,” he says with a grin. 

Sarah squirms out of his arms and Steve lets her go reluctantly, but they’re quickled filled with James, who throws his arms around Steve’s neck and sighs happily, nuzzling into his scent gland. Tears prick at his eyes again and Steve rubs gently at his son’s back, scenting him in return. 

Kissing the soft blonde mop of hair, Steve sighs happily. “Missed you too bubba.”

  
  
  


As he’s putting the babies to bed that night, James tugs on his hair while he’s singing a lullaby and whispers  _ Papa _ , and Steve can barely breathe through the love that’s swelling inside him. 

“Yea buddy, papa is home,” he whispers hoarsely, “I’m not leaving again, I promise.”

  
  
  


When he slides into bed, after, Tony and Bucky cuddle up beside him, scenting him and kissing him and he almost breaks down crying he’s so happy. He lays there, safe in their arms, with Alpine purring happily squished between them and makes a decision. 

“I want to retire,” he tells them, looking between Tony and Bucky uncertainly. “I don’t want to risk missing out on anything. I want more, everyday; I want to see more of them and be with you, and I just,” he sighs heavily, “I want more.”

Tony grins and kisses him gently, “Sounds good to me.”

Bucky makes a soft sound of agreement and lays a hand on Steve’s stomach, “Me too,” he murmurs, leaning in for a kiss too. 

Steve smiles and closes his eyes, sinking into the warm embrace of his family. 

“Me too,” he whispers. 

More of this, of them, of pure joy and love and family…

He wants more, everyday, for the rest of his life. 

Time won’t stand still, but he knows his family will be there, grounding him in place, keeping him steady against the tides of life, giving him more, giving him hope and love and  _ home _ . 

For the first time in a long time, he’s not afraid of what the future holds. 

Not anymore. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's it! I hope you enjoyed this story. 
> 
> I saw this on Tumblr and I think it's a lovely idea--feel free to copy and paste into your own fics!!
> 
> Emoji Key for those who don't know what to say in the comments!
> 
> ❤ = you wish you could kudos again  
> 😭 = I got you right in the feels  
> 🔥 = this was so hot!  
> 🐰 = it’s so fluffy!

**Author's Note:**

> I saw this on Tumblr and I think it's a lovely idea--feel free to copy and paste into your own fics!!
> 
> Emoji Key for those who don't know what to say in the comments!
> 
> ❤ = you wish you could kudos again  
> 😭 = I got you right in the feels  
> 🔥 = this was so hot!  
> 🐰 = it’s so fluffy!


End file.
